Keeps Getting Better
by smc-27
Summary: They say time heals all wounds. Maybe so, but when wounds bring two friends back together, has enough time passed to heal the ones that tore them apart in the first place? Sometimes the route you take leads you right back where you started from. NP
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So, I usually write LP fics, but NP is totally my guilty pleasure ship. I am one of the (maybe?) few who actually thinks that Peyton and Nathan as the people they are now would make a great couple. So this story is total NP love/angst/coupledom. If that's not your thing, well, I'm not gonna make you read.

Background: Lucas marries Lindsey. Haley and Nathan divorce. Nanny Carrie never kidnaps Jamie. I think that's all you really need to know.

**----**

She was sitting at her usual spot, at her usual bar, drinking her usual drink.

At first, she'd spend nights like this at Tric, but it offered too many memories and too many questions. When your roommate is dating the bar manager, it's hard to disappear from a watchful eye. People she knew would constantly come and talk to her, and all she wanted was to be left alone. She found the run down old watering hole on the outskirts of town to be a much better location to drown her sorrows anonymously. The bartender knew her name, only from reading it off her credit card. He didn't ask any other questions.

She used to drink vodka and cranberry juice. As a teenager, even, it had been her favourite drink. But after a while, she found that the liquor wasn't as potent as she thought it needed to be, and switched to straight whiskey.

She didn't do it every night. She worked hard and hated going to the office hung over. She'd learned that lesson the hard way, and one time was enough. Friday, and sometimes Saturday, nights she could be found on the battered old bar stool, knocking back Johnnie Walker Red and trying to erase that particular weeks' memories of _him_.

It had been almost a year since he was married. She'd refused to go to the wedding, only to receive harsh words from him, implying that she wasn't supportive and questioning her friendship. She had reminded them that they weren't friends. They were exes, and he shouldn't have even invited her in the first place. Since then, they'd only spoken to each other when necessary. And it was killing her.

----

Nathan never pictured himself divorced, let alone, 24 and divorced and only able to see his son every second weekend and a couple nights a week.

He had tried so hard to be everything his wife had wanted him to be. For nearly 6 years, they'd fought and battled and clung to each other through everything they encountered. He'd somehow let her down. He knew he'd been in the wrong, he just didn't see Haley _not_ forgiving him. For a long time, he'd tried so hard to be the man Haley wanted him to be. He had wanted to be that man. Now, without her, part of him felt like he could breathe again. He wasn't reverting back to the lesser version of himself, he just wasn't walking on eggshells, waiting until the next time he saw that look in her eyes telling him he'd done something to disappoint her.

He still wasn't much of a drinker. It was hard to believe that at 24, those days would be behind him. But today was an exception. He'd found himself walking from his house and towards an old bar he used to go to as a teenager. He hadn't even been sure it was still there until he drove past the other day and noticed the fluorescent beer sign aglow in the window.

Walking through the door, he took a look around and had to smile to himself. It was everything he remembered it to be, and everything any passer by would think it would be. There was a table of regulars, talking loudly and nursing their beers, and a couple middle-aged men playing darts. Johnny Cash flowed from the vintage jukebox as he made his way towards the bar.

He chuckled to himself when he noticed a certain leggy blonde perched on a barstool, emptying the contents of her glass.

"Buy you a drink?"

She contemplated a biting remark to whoever was hitting on her, until she realized that she knew that voice. She then opted for her usual sarcasm. "Pull up a chair, Nate. What brings you to this _fine_ establishment?"

"I was supposed to have Jamie for the weekend, but Haley 'traded'," he explained, using air quotes. Truth was, he hadn't had much choice in the matter. He signaled to the bartender to pour two more of whatever Peyton was drinking, knowing their tastes had always been similar. "What about you?"

"The supposed love of my life is married to someone who isn't me," she said, deadpan, holding her glass up slightly until it met the rim of his with a clink.

"We're two sorry losers, aren't we?" he asked, taking a sip of the amber liquid and enjoying the burn he felt in the back of his throat.

"Yup. Ain't life grand?" she asked, turning to face him for the first time. He wore his sleepless nights on his face, just like she suspected she did. "How'd you find out about this place?"

"Took a fake ID when we were in high school. Just seedy enough that no one I know would come here," he explained. "Well, except for you, I guess."

She could only laugh. She never would have thought that the two of them would have ended up together, drowning themselves in alcohol at a rundown bar frequented by almost no one.

"It's the only place I know far enough removed from prying eyes," she said, knowing he'd know exactly what she was referring to.

They sat quietly for a moment, listening as the jukebox changed from a sad old country tune, to a sad old Motown tune.

"Luke's my brother, but I still think he's a dick sometimes," he confessed. His eyes caught hers and he saw her smile for the first time since he'd shown up.

"Haley's one of my best friends, but I still think she could stand to cut you some slack sometimes," she said, still grinning.

She was glad he understood. No one else really had. They'd coddled her and treated her like a fragile girl for a couple months, then they all basically told her to get over it. At the time, Brooke was dealing with Angie, and Haley was dealing with her impending divorce. They all had other issues, and seemingly, Peyton's took the back burner after the arbitrarily alloted amount of grieving time.

"How are you, Peyton?" he asked sincerely. Of course they'd talked since the event that changed everything, but not one-on-one. Well, not one-on-one long enough to really delve in and get an honest answer.

"I'm fine," she said with a shrug. "Working on it. You?"

"Working on it," he echoed, bumping her shoulder with his own. He flashed her that grin when she looked his way, and it somehow put her at ease.

"I know I should be over it. Sometimes I wonder if I _am_ over it and I'm just hanging onto the idea because I need something to hang onto, you know? Just..._some_thing," she said quickly.

He would have laughed at her rambling if it hadn't just made all the sense in the world.

"I know exactly what you mean," he said. Her head whipped around and her eyes met his.

"Yeah?" she asked, unable to hide the hope in her voice.

"Yup. It was hard to let go of Haley. But it was what she wanted, so I couldn't really argue. I'm kind of over it now, and I feel worse about that than I did about the divorce in the first place. Like letting go of it that quickly was worse than being forced to let it go at all," he explained. Both their glasses were empty again and he signaled for two more.

"Exactly," she nodded, narrowing her eyes at him. She wondered why they hadn't been talking like this all along.

A Journey ballad started flowing through the bar, and Peyton felt Nathan's hand take hers as he stood from his stool.

"Come on," he said, tugging her towards the 'dance floor' - essentially a 20 x 20 square at the back of the room.

"Nathan..." She tried to protest, but he was too strong, and his hand did not leave hers.

Nathan had never been much of a dancer. In fact, he may have been the worst dancer she knew. The first time they'd danced together had been at a homecoming dance, and he'd wrapped his arms around her and simply swayed to the music. They were doing the same thing now.

"Really? Journey?" she asked as her head rested against him gently.

"Come on. You know you love it," he said, pulling back just in time to see her rolling her eyes the way she always had when she was conceding defeat.

Neither of them spoke until the song ended. They just existed in the music and in the knowledge that each of them understood what the other was going through. The song came to an end and he squeezed her ever-so-slightly. It was meant as a silent reminder that she was going to be OK. That, and her body felt really nice pressed against his.

He followed her back to the bar, unable to ignore how her dress swayed as she walked, or how the boots she wore showed just enough of her legs to be a perfect balance of sexy and classy. He'd only had one drink, so he couldn't even blame the attraction on alcohol. He had to stop that thinking. He had to. Didn't he?

"Nathan? Where'd you go?" she asked with a laugh, trying to get his attention after they were sitting again.

He could play this one of two ways. He could be brash and brazen, or he could be a friend, like he'd been for the past several years. He was Nathan Scott. Brash and brazen was the way he'd always done things.

He leaned closer to her to whisper in her ear. "I was just distracted by how damn sexy you look right now."

She froze. She couldn't believe her friend - one of her best friends - had just said those words. What was he doing? She wanted to say that his breath on the shell of her ear hadn't sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't.

He noticed her blush and smile, the way she used to when he'd talk to her like that, and that was all the confirmation he needed. He watched her sip her drink. How had he forgotten all these little things that he was suddenly noticing again now? The way her pinky bent slightly as she held her glass. The way she fiddled with the coaster to keep her other hand occupied. The way she subtly licked her lips after taking a sip of alcohol.

"So, how's the new house?" she asked, desperate for some conversation that wouldn't involve a burning sensation in her cheeks.

He smiled at the subject change. His house wasn't exactly new; he'd been living there for nearly a full year. "It's big and quiet. You've seen it."

"Yeah, I've seen it. But only a few times when everyone else was there. It did, if I remember correctly, have lots of places to hide from Lucas and his wife," she said with a grin. She wasn't totally joking, but she didn't want to seem _that_ bitter.

"You can't even say her name, can you?" he asked, smirking in that way that made his eyes light up.

"It's more of a refusal than anything," she informed him. She raised her glass again as he laughed.

"Lucas is an idiot," he said beneath his breath, shaking his head.

"What?" she laughed, turning to face him. Her knee inadvertently brushed against his, but neither made any effort to move.

"He's an idiot. Letting you get away," he said softly, looking into her eyes. It had been so long since he looked at her that way, that he'd almost forgotten how captivating she could be.

"You let me get away, too," she teased, making him roll his eyes.

"Maybe so," he said, gesturing to the bartender for another round. "But I'm the one here with you right now, aren't I?"

She wished the smile he gave her hadn't made her stomach flutter. She really had no idea what was going on between them, but it felt like something. And something was better than whatever she'd been feeling - or not feeling - for the year prior.

They laughed and chatted and caught up over a couple more drinks. She told him she was proud of him for starting to chase his basketball dreams again, and he told her he was proud of her for starting her label and staying in Tree Hill, even after everything that had happened. He realized then just how strong a woman she was, to be able to stay in the same town as the man who'd broken her heart so many times, and watch him build his life with the woman he chose over her.

He laughed when she sang along with the Otis Redding song that came on, and that seemed to only spur her on. He couldn't say he wasn't enjoying the way her hands felt as she caressed his arm while she sang. The bartender just chuckled at the two of them, by far the youngest people in the bar, and the ones having the most fun.

She was staring at him as they waited for their glasses to be refilled, and he couldn't read the expression on her face.

"What?" he finally asked when her staring began to make him uneasy.

"You look different than I remember," she said.

"What does that mean?" he asked with a laugh.

"I just never really looked at you. Not since high school. Not really. You were always Haley's husband, so I never really paid attention. Now you're _Nathan Scott_ again," she rambled. She had one hand resting on his thigh, and her other arm around his shoulder. She began to play with the fabric of his shirt at the back of his neck as she spoke. "And you are _totally_ hot."

"You drunk, Sawyer?" he teased, watching as she pulled her hands off him and smirked as she shifted so she was facing the bar again.

"No drunker than you are," she pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

He was overcome with the urge to kiss her. He wasn't quite sure where it came from, but he leaned forward, took her face in his hands, and pressed his lips to hers gently. He was about to pull away when he felt her hand move back to his thigh. She was kissing him back. One of his closest friends. His ex-girlfriend. His brother's former muse. _Peyton_. She was kissing him back.

When they finally parted for air, he rested his forehead against hers. He noticed that she still kept her eyes closed after a good kiss. And that kiss? Was _really _fucking good.

When he finally saw her eyelids flutter open, he noticed her smile, too. He took a deep breath.

"Tell me that wasn't a drunken mistake," she said softly. She couldn't - wouldn't - have another man kiss her, then run off to someone else.

"Definitely not," he whispered, pressing his lips to hers once more.

She pulled away and they both finished their drinks quickly, before he leaned toward her and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Your place?" he asked, grazing her earlobe with his lips.

"Uh uhn," she muttered, pulling back and seeing the flash of disappointment in his eyes. She had to smile at that. "My place has a Brooke."

He laughed at his own ignorance and nodded. "Let's go."

He payed their tab, despite her argument that they should split it. They'd both walked to the bar that night, knowing that after a few drinks, neither would be fit to drive. They strolled through the back streets of town towards his house, playing and joking with each other. He lifted her over a particularly large puddle when she'd complained about ruining her boots, making her squeal with laughter when he refused to set her down. Instead, he hoisted her over his shoulder, placing his hand over the back of her thigh to keep her in place. He set her down when he got too distracted by the smoothness of her skin. She slapped him on the chest and he grabbed her hand, placing a kiss to her palm before intertwining their fingers.

He unlocked the door, and as soon as they were inside his lips were on hers. She brought her hands to the back of his neck as they stood in the foyer of his big, quiet home, with only the sounds of their breathing and their kisses filling the silence. He pulled away quickly and she whimpered at the loss of contact, making him smile before pecking her on the lips again.

He tugged her hand towards the stairs and they somehow managed to make it to his bedroom. She wondered how she'd done it, given how weak in the knees he was making her. There was always something about Nathan. The way he'd look at her right before he kissed her, or how his eyes turned sapphire when his hands were on her hips. She knew he'd changed a lot over the years since they'd last kissed, but tonight, she saw the shadows of the boy she used to know; the one she had so desperately wanted to fix.

Tangled in an embrace once again, she slipped her hands beneath the fabric of his shirt, feeling him tense under her touch. He broke away from her lips to explain that her hands were cold, and she took the opportunity to tug the material over his head.

"Impatient, much?" he teased, nipping at her neck.

"You sure you want to tease me right now?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, arching her back slightly to pull away from him, inadvertently pressing her hips to his, eliciting a throaty moan.

"There are a few things I want to do to you right now," he said, his voice low and husky. He pulled her close to him again before walking her backwards toward the bed.

She couldn't help but notice the way his body had changed over the years. His muscles were more defined and his arms stronger. Years of basketball and life had left his hands weathered and calloused. She was amazed that they still felt as good on her skin as they did when they were teenagers.

She shouldn't have felt such a need to be with him. She shouldn't have needed to feel his weight on her body. He was one of her best friends. There was a time when she'd convinced herself that he'd be her brother-in-law one day. But right now, they were just Nathan and Peyton, two former lovers, both single and consenting. And at that point, she was too far gone to stop any of their actions, and frankly, she didn't want to. All the baggage and weight they'd both been carrying around had flown out the window when he'd kissed her at the bar.

Peyton had always been skinny. She was all legs and arms and a tiny waist. But the years had changed her body in a way he hadn't been prepared for. He noticed when he slipped her dress over her head that her hips were wider and her frame had filled out perfectly. Years on the west coast had given her skin a warm glow, and he couldn't stop himself from touching every bit of bare skin he could. Her body was incredible, and she was gorgeous, and she was all his.

At least for the night.

----

She lay in Nathan's bed, in his arms, for the first time since she was 17. And it didn't feel strange. A little surreal, perhaps, but not strange. Her fingertips moved in gentle circles on his chest, a habit of hers that he hadn't forgotten from their days together.

"What just happened?" she asked, still a little shocked at the evening's turn of events.

"Didn't think I'd have to explain it to you, Sawyer," he teased, pulling her naked body closer to his. She draped one of those long legs of hers over his a little further and he had to smile at how that felt.

"I just meant..."

"I know what you meant," he interrupted. "Honestly, I don't know how we got here, but that was amazing. This is the first time in a long time I've felt much of anything."

"Me too," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him again.

"Using me to numb the pain?" he asked as she lay her head on his chest again.

"Jerk!" she cried, pointlessly shoving him. "Are you?" Her voice had gone timid, and he knew that it was a valid concern. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like this was nothing more than a one night stand.

"I'm not using you, Peyton," he assured her, running his hand up and down her side. "Tonight, you made me feel like me again."

They lay in silence for a while longer, just listening to each other breathe and each enjoying the heat radiating off the other.

"I should go," she said, sitting up and pulling away from him. "Brooke's going to..."

"Stay," he interrupted. He grabbed her hand, sat up, and smiled at her. That damn smile that she was sure she wouldn't be able to say no to. The more she saw it, the more she was beginning to realize that he knew exactly how to use it to get his way.

"Nathan..."

"Stay with me tonight," he muttered, kissing her neck again as he pulled her back down on top of him.

"If I stay, you're not going to stop doing that," she said coyly.

"Is that such a bad thing?" he whispered, letting his mouth linger near her earlobe.

"Nathan, what about Haley? And Lucas?" she asked. He stopped kissing her and looked her in the eyes. She immediately regretted mentioning their names, and craved his lips on her skin again.

"Haley and Lucas haven't thought about either of us the way we wanted them to in a long time." He said it with conviction, hoping he'd convince her of what they both already knew.

His and Haley's marriage was over. Lucas' was very much not. They were doing nothing sinful. They were not cheating. They were adults. They weren't strangers. They were two people seeking comfort, and finding it with someone they trusted.

She kissed him again without saying another word, and he knew she understood what he was saying. They stayed silent for the rest of the evening, save for satisfied sounds and whispers of each others' names.

----

She woke up to the blinding sunlight filling the room, and an empty bed. Sitting up, she clutched the sheet to her chest and smiled when she saw Nathan pulling a tee shirt over his head.

"Morning," she said sleepily, leaning forward and stretching as discretely as she could without exposing herself. She couldn't explain the shyness.

"Hey," he smiled back. "I was just going to make you something to eat."

"What time is it?" she asked, laying back down as he came to sit at the edge of the bed. If she was being honest, she didn't want to leave his bed at all.

"Almost 10:30," he informed her. He caressed her arm before intertwining their fingers. He noticed how much bigger his hand was than hers, but how they somehow fit together perfectly.

She relished the simple and seemingly innocent act, and stared at their hands as they rest next to her. She caught those blue eyes of his and memories of the night before flooded her mind. She didn't regret a thing.

"So, what are you making me?" she asked demurely.

"I was thinking of brunch. Eggs, toast, bacon, coffee," he said with a smile. "I was actually kind of surprised you were still here when I woke up."

"Mmm. Sounds good." Wait a second. Surprised? "You really thought I was going to leave?"

"I might have been a little worried I'd wake up to an empty bed, yeah," he explained nervously.

She sat up again, not caring whether or not she was covered, and put her arms around him. She noticed the grin on his face as she pulled away. He wasn't sure why she'd done it, but he didn't really care. He wondered if this connection had always been there and they'd just ignored it, or if it was something new that never existed between the two before.

"Want something to wear?" he asked, laughing as she gathered the sheet around her body again.

"Please. All you own are sleeveless tee shirts and basketball shorts, though," she teased.

He scoffed and walked to his closet, pulling a black button down shirt off a hanger and tossing it towards her.

"I'll be in the kitchen," he said with a smirk.

She lay for a few minutes after he left, wondering how this could all feel so perfect to her. She realized now that he was the perfect combination of the guy she used to know, and the guy he'd been for Haley. He was kind and considerate and caring, but he still had that edge that made him sexy as hell. Just the right amount of attitude and confidence mixed in with his kindness.

She pulled the fabric of his shirt over her arms and buttoned it. She tried to remember the last time she wore a man's clothes, and couldn't. She laughed slightly at how depressing that was. She walked to the bathroom and splashed water on her face and made sure her appearance wasn't a complete disaster. She obviously hadn't planned for something like this to happen. The one thing about having Brooke Davis as a roommate is that you pick up tricks. For instance, you always carry a tube of mascara and some good lip gloss in your purse. Because, according to the brunette, 'you never know'. She was thankful for that advice now. She ran her fingers through her hair as she made her way downstairs.

He heard her enter the room, and smirked when he took in the sight of her. He'd be lying if he said he didn't love the sex hair she'd been sporting earlier, but seeing her all put together and wearing his shirt was quite a picture.

"You look hot," he noted, unabashedly checking her out as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She rolled her eyes as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side and pressing a kiss to her temple.

Neither of them felt uncomfortable. She stood, admiring the view of the ocean out his kitchen window, and he stood, admiring how gorgeous she was as she sipped coffee with her back to him.

He called her to the table and she took the seat beside him, smiling at the breakfast he'd made. He explained that he'd never been a bachelor in his life, so he'd started watching the Food Network to save himself from starving.

"You're pretty quiet," he said after a while of eating in silence.

"Sorry," she said with a laugh. "I'm just trying to figure out what to tell Brooke. She's going to ask me a million questions when she realizes I didn't come home last night."

"The Peyton Sawyer I know wouldn't be worried about that kind of thing," he said. He took a sip of his coffee and rested his elbows on the table.

"Maybe you don't know me as well you think you do," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe I want to know you better." He gave her that smile again, then muttered under his breath, "Even better than I did last night."

"Had to ruin the moment, huh?" she teased. His bare foot nestled up against hers and she just smiled at him. She felt like a 16 year old girl again, craving even the simplest contact from the boy she liked.

"You love it," he insisted, sitting back in his chair and watching her take another bite of her food.

A few more minutes passed with them stealing glances at each other and their legs tangling beneath the table, but neither of them saying a word.

"OK, this is a little weird, right?" she asked, finally putting down her fork and clasping her hands on the table in front of her.

"It's only weird because it doesn't feel weird," he said with a smile. "If that makes any sense."

"I guess I'm just trying to figure out what this is. And I know that probably freaks you out because it was just one night and we'd both been drinking and whatever and..."

"Peyton," he interrupted, laughing as he said her name. Damn, her rambling was adorable. "I meant what I said. I want to know you better. I'm actually glad this happened."

"Me too," she admitted quietly.

She stood from her chair and settled herself onto his lap. He hadn't been expecting it, but it was definitely a nice surprise. She draped her arms around his neck and his hands clasped around her waist. She leaned forward and kissed him, nibbling his bottom lip gently like she knew he'd always loved.

"Nathan?" she spoke between the kisses she was pressing to his lips.

"Hmm?" he asked, too caught up in her to really pay attention.

"Why don't you take me upstairs again before we go out and face the real world?" she asked in a sultry voice.

She didn't have to ask him twice.


	2. Chapter 2

Peyton left Nathan's house and began the walk home to her place. He'd offered to drive her home, in fact, he'd almost insisted on it, but she'd declined, telling him that it was too risky. If Brooke saw him drop her off, their night together would certainly not remain a secret much longer.

She spent the entire walk home thinking about him and how the last thing she'd wanted to do was leave his house. She wanted to stay in bed with him all day, and he'd invited her to. She just knew that her roommate would be waiting and worried, since Peyton hadn't even thought to call. Well, hadn't gotten a chance to call.

But every time she thought about his hands on her skin, she nearly turned around and sprinted back to him. She replayed their entire evening in her mind, wondering how they'd gone from friendly conversation and sipping whiskey, to his bed in a matter of hours. She couldn't say she regretted it; she definitely didn't. She reluctantly wondered if maybe the two of them had just started something really great.

"Where were you last night?" Brooke asked frantically as soon as Peyton had closed the door behind her.

"I was...um..." Peyton stuttered. She hadn't thought of anything to say to explain her absence to her best friend and roommate, instead choosing to let her thoughts wander back to the very sexy man she'd spent the night with.

"You're wearing the same clothes," Brooke pointed out with a raised brow and a dimpled grin. "Did you meet a boy!?"

"I maybe kind of met someone," Peyton admitted sheepishly, watching Brooke's eyes widen.

"Who is he? What's he like? One night stand or more than that?!" Brooke asked in rapid-fire succession, tugging Peyton's arm and forcing her to sit next to her on the sofa.

"It's...I don't really know what it is," Peyton said with a bewildered look.

She knew it was something, or at least she hoped it was. Nathan had made her feel good again. He made her feel desired and sexy and funny and like a woman. It was silly that it took another person to bring that out in her, but she'd spent too much time pining over Lucas and wondering why she wasn't good enough. But Nathan had made her feel like she was good enough. And she wasn't ready to give that up just yet.

"So he's cute?" Brooke asked, snooping for more gossip.

"He's...gorgeous," Peyton said with a dreamy smile, remembering all the stolen glances and the little details she'd somehow been able to memorize in their short time together that morning and the night before.

"You're not going to give me anything more than that, are you?" Brooke asked. She knew her friend well. Peyton would tell her everything when she was ready, and not a moment sooner.

"No," Peyton said with a laugh. "I'm going to go shower and get some sleep."

"You dirty girl!" Brooke squealed as Peyton retreated to her room.

She wasn't necessarily one to encourage the picking up of random strangers in bars (anymore), but Brooke knew that she hadn't seen that kind of smile on Peyton's face in ages. She wondered if just maybe, this was the start of something really good for her best friend. It was certainly not a guaranteed relationship, by any means, but maybe this was the start of the healing process.

----

Peyton woke from her nap feeling rested, but aching in a really good way from the time she spent with Nathan. As soon as her eyes were open, her mind drifted back to him. She wasn't sure when the last time was that she actually felt that way about someone. That giddiness and that fluttering in her stomach at the thought of his kiss.

She walked into the kitchen to find Brooke sketching as she sat at the counter with a cup of tea steaming away in front of her.

"Sleep well?" she asked with a cheeky grin, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes, thank you," Peyton replied as she laughed. Her best friend really was quite nosey.

"So I got an interesting phone call," Brooke started, as Peyton grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

She was suddenly nervous. Had someone seen them together? Had Nathan told someone? Had Brooke simply put the pieces together?

"Really?" she asked, trying her best to disguise the uneasiness she felt.

"Yeah. Everyone's getting together at Tric tonight," Brooke explained.

They hadn't all been together as a group in a long time. Haley would be missing, or Nathan would be missing, or Lucas and Lindsey, or Peyton. Peyton couldn't actually remember the last time they were all in the same space.

"Oh," she said as she sat next to Brooke at the counter. The only reason she didn't let out a sigh of relief, was because she knew Brooke would recognize it as one and ask what was going on.

"I'm going to go," Brooke said softly.

"I think I'll come," Peyton said. The look of surprise on Brooke's face made her laugh. "What?"

"You realize that _everyone_ includes Lucas and Lindsey?" Brooke asked skeptically.

"Yes, I realize that," Peyton laughed. "Come on. Don't you think it's been long enough? I need to stop being bitter about it."

"OK, your mystery man from last night must be _really_ good," Brooke teased, earning her a playful shove. "Seriously, Peyton, that's great."

"Alright. Well, I am actually going to get ready now and then head to the office, so I'll just come join you guys whenever." Peyton got up from her place and went back into her room, leaving Brooke to wonder how in the matter of only a day, her attitude could have done a complete 180.

Peyton's heart raced at the prospect of seeing him again, and she shook her head at her own actions. She felt like a teenager again, excited because she'd get to see the popular jock again. She pulled on her most flattering and expensive pair of jeans, and a top she'd bought ages ago and never worn. The emerald green satin was the perfect contrast to the dark denim, and made her eyes sparkle. She stepped into a pair of heels and grabbed a matching clutch purse to carry what she would need. She must have held the condom in her hands for a couple minutes, contemplating whether or not to zip it into the inside pocket of her purse. She decided it was better to be prepared and not have to use it than the other way around.

She stepped back into the kitchen and Brooke looked her up and down with a raised eyebrow.

"Who the hell are _you_ trying to impress?" she teased.

"No one! I just wanted to wear this top," Peyton shrugged before making her way to the door.

"It _is_ a pretty great top," Brooke laughed. "I'll see you there."

"See ya," Peyton shouted as she closed the door.

"_Just wanted to wear the top_," Brooke mocked under her breath. "Right."

Something was going on, and she wanted desperately to grill Peyton for the information she felt she was entitled to as the best friend. But there was something about Peyton that just seemed...lighter; like she wasn't carrying around that dark weight that she'd been shouldering since Lucas' wedding. Brooke didn't want to press her friend for info if keeping things a secret was making her happy. Of all people, Peyton deserved it.

----

Peyton grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to her office. She needed to work to get her mind off him. The more she thought about it, the more questions she had. Was it just sex? Did he want more? How would everyone else react? Was there anything to react to? What if it didn't work out? That would surely put an even bigger rift in their already fragile group.

So she worked away, listening to mostly terrible demos, with the occasional not-so-bad artist to give her ears a break. She put the finishing touches on a new marketing plan for one of her artists, and returned a bunch of emails she'd put off replying to. She was in the middle of addressing a few rejection letters - the worst part of her job - and she heard the crowd outside her office growing, and the music get louder.

She was about to get up and head out into the club when her door slid open and she looked up to see the one person who'd consumed her thoughts all day.

And he looked damn good.

"Hi," he said with a smirk as she stood from her chair and walked in front of her desk to lean against it.

"Hi," she replied with a smile.

He walked to within a couple feet of her and she ached for him to just close the rest of the distance. He was wearing a chocolate brown shirt that looked so soft that she had to resist the temptation to reach out and grab him, though she was sure that would be the case no matter what he had on.

"You look great," he said softly, taking another step towards her.

"So do you," she said, smiling as he grinned at the compliment.

"I couldn't get you off my mind all day," he admitted, finally reaching out and pulling her towards him, then wrapping one arm around her waist.

"Really?" she asked with narrowed eyes. "I haven't thought about you at all."

"Liar," he muttered before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss.

"Yeah," she whispered after they'd parted, making him laugh.

"What'd Brooke say?" he asked. She tried to ignore the way his large hand felt on the small of her back, and he tried to ignore the way the scent of her perfume was intoxicating him more than any amount of alcohol ever could.

"She said whoever I hooked up with last night must have been amazing to get me smiling like this," she admitted, watching his face for a reaction. She wasn't surprised when that cocky grin graced his lips.

"Well, if you wanted to tell him he's amazing, I'm sure he'd be alright with that," Nathan said with a shrug. "I mean, whoever he was."

"Maybe later," she teased.

She went to move away, but he grabbed her and pulled her back to him, leaning down to kiss her again. They didn't know how long they stood there, making out in her office, but they parted only to breathe and moved away from each other only when a particularly loud song began resonating through the walls.

"You go," she insisted. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

"OK," he nodded. But he really, really didn't want to leave her.

She watched him go, and she knew that whatever was going on between them wasn't just sex. Just sex didn't leave you with that feeling of breathlessness when the man walked away from you. Just sex didn't have both parties admitting to having the other consume their thoughts. Just sex certainly didn't have you feeling like your heart was going to beat out of your chest when he turned around and winked at you before closing the door behind him.

She took a moment to compose herself by tidying her desk, then locked her door behind her and made her way to the bar for a drink. She saw her group of friends across the bar, and immediately locked eyes with Nathan. Brooke waved her over just as her drink had been set in front of her, and Peyton joined the group, sitting between Haley and Brooke, and across from Nathan, Lucas and Lindsey. Owen had the night off, so he was sitting next to Brooke, sipping club soda and watching over everyone, as he was known to do.

"Hey." She was the first to speak, attempting to break the palpable tension. This was why they hadn't all gotten together since everything changed. Nathan and Haley were cordial and kind, but not much more. Peyton and Lucas had the occasional conversation on only the safest of topics. And Peyton and Lindsey had no relationship whatsoever, and stuck to exchanging pleasantries when necessary.

"So, what's with you working on a Saturday?" Haley asked, turning to Peyton, and allowing the rest of the group go back to their own conversations.

They all fell into easy rapport. Skills, Mouth, and Millicent had joined them, and he men talked basketball and the women talked about their own jobs. Peyton supposed she should have felt guilty talking so nonchalantly with Haley, but she didn't. The two of them had obviously had many, many conversations over the course of the months since the divorce, and Haley was clearly over Nathan.

His voice cut through whatever conversation it was she should have been listening to, and she found herself focusing on each word he said as though it were the most poignant thing she'd ever heard. He stole glances at her as discreetly as he could, and when she got up to go get another drink, he excused himself as well and joined her at the bar.

"This is painful," he said as soon as they'd ordered their drinks.

"Why?" she laughed, turning towards his voice. He was standing closer than she'd expected and her breath caught in her throat.

"You think I'd rather talk stats with Luke and the guys than make out with you?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"OK, what are you, 16?" she laughed.

"Honestly, it kind of feels that way," he admitted as he took his beer from the bartender.

"It kind of does, doesn't it?" she said, scrunching her nose in that insanely adorable way, as she was known to do.

"Why don't you pretend you're sick? Then I can drive you home, only I'll take you to my place," he suggested.

"And how would you explain taking me to your house instead of mine?" she asked with a raised brow, turning so her shoulders were square to his.

"Umm..." he mumbled, thinking of the perfect plan. He snapped his fingers and pointed at her as his eyes lit up. "You didn't want to be alone and you thought Brooke was staying at Owen's."

She looked at him for a moment and saw that he was clearly proud of himself for his quick thinking.

"It amazes me how smart men can be when they have to find a way to have sex," she pointed out.

"I never actually said anything about sex, but it's good to know where your head is, Sawyer," he said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"Could be pretty suspicious," she admitted sadly. She looked over to their group of friends and thought momentarily about whether or not she'd feel guilty leaving them. Then she looked at Nathan again. His eyes seemed to be pleading with her, and any thoughts of guilt were washed away.

"But we could spend all day together tomorrow and you could just say you didn't feel well enough to go home," he said, all but pouting.

"You make a tempting offer, Mr. Scott," she said with a slight nod before taking a sip of her drink.

"Keep calling me that and I'll take you out of here right now with no explanation to anyone," he said, leaning forward and speaking low enough to make her blood run warmer.

"OK," she sighed. "A half hour more, then we're out of here." She paused to take in his smile and looked into his eyes before she walked away. "Mr. Scott."

He tilted his head back and groaned. A half hour. Just 30 more minutes. But those jeans fit her so perfectly and his eyes were drawn to her hips as she moved. That green top was cute, but he cared more about having her next to him in much, much less. The heels, well, he'd always been a fan, and on Peyton he was sure they made her legs longer than his.

He'd spent a lot of time since the divorce wondering when he would get back in the dating game. But he'd never really _dated_. Peyton was his girlfriend, then she wasn't, then he was with Haley. There'd been no one since. When he was younger, he'd screw around when he and Peyton would fight, though he wasn't proud of those actions. He'd never done the dating thing, where you take a woman out for dinner and see if the chemistry was there. And now, he knew the chemistry was there and he didn't have to worry about that at all.

He hadn't expected to hook up with Peyton ever again, let alone at that point in time. In the brief conversation they'd had about Lucas and Haley respectively, he gathered that she was pretty much over his brother, but it still made him worry that the old wound hadn't completely healed. And for his part, he knew that Haley was his first love. She was the mother to his son, and the woman he'd spent the better part of 6 years completely devoted to. She had made him want to change into the man he thought he could be. But, he'd been completely honest and serious when he told Peyton he was over his ex.

And then, for some reason, Peyton's words from all those years ago rang in his mind._ 'You're turning into the guy I always knew you could be.' _She had seen it before anyone else. Before Haley or Lucas or any of his friends, she'd been the one to see that potential for him. She must have seen the good parts of him during those rare times between their breakups when he'd actually be a decent boyfriend.

He rejoined the group and had just sat down when Peyton put her hand over her stomach and grimaced.

"You OK?" Haley asked with concern etched on her face.

"My stomach is just really upset all of a sudden," the blonde said softly.

"Did you eat anything weird today?" Brooke asked, pressing her palm to her best friend's forehead to check for a temperature.

"I don't know. I think I'm just going to head home," she said.

"You shouldn't drive," Nathan pointed out. "I'll take you."

"You don't have to do that," Peyton insisted, shaking her head. He stopped himself from smiling at this near Oscar-worthy performance she was putting on.

"Yes, he does," Brooke said. She turned to Nathan. "I'm staying at Owen's tonight, but I don't want her to be alone. You think you could put her in one of your 4 spare rooms and keep an eye on her?"

"Of course I can," he said with a smirk. He stood from his place and reached for her hand innocently enough to pull her up. That plan went even better than he'd thought it would.

"Feel better," Lindsey offered sincerely, spurring on similar sentiments from everyone else.

Nathan placed his hand on the small of her back lightly before removing it so as not to make anyone suspicious. Once they were outside, he opened the car door for her before climbing in on his side.

"What happened to a half hour?" he asked with a grin as he pulled onto the street.

"You did," she laughed. She leaned over the centre console and pressed a lingering kiss to the hinge of his jaw before speaking in a sultry whisper. "Do you have _any_ idea how sexy you look right now?"

"Baby, you have to stop that or we won't get home in one piece," he said with a breathy chuckle. The term of endearment rolled off his tongue easily and he noticed the smile it put on her face.

She pulled away from him, taking in the scent of his cologne, and he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers as their hands rested on her thigh. The rest of the drive was spent chatting about their group of friends and how that was the first time they'd all been together in so long, then laughing at how quickly they'd bailed on the group so they could be alone.

As soon as they pulled his car into the garage, he turned to her and pulled her in for a kiss. He'd been wanting to do it since he left her office, and he actually sighed his relief that he'd finally gotten a chance to.

"Can't even wait till we get inside, huh?" she laughed. But she wasn't complaining. All she wanted to do was have his lips on her skin and his hands roaming her body.

"Just didn't want to," he said with a smirk.

They made into the house and she immediately made her way to the stairs. He watched her as she walked, and he followed behind her wordlessly. His mouth went dry when he saw her tug the green fabric over her head and drop it. He caught her shirt as he let out a breathy laugh, then joined her in his room. He didn't necessarily remember her ever being this way - this forward - not that he was going to protest. She wasted no time pulling his own shirt over his head and undoing his belt while they kissed. She was working her way down his torso, pressing kisses to his bare skin, and his hands tangled in her hair.

"You're fucking amazing," he said, his voice low and husky.

She stood up again and smiled as she kissed him, feeling his large hands on her hips pulling her closer to him. He picked her up - how, she wasn't even really sure - and laid her down on the bed, and his hand moved to the zipper of her jeans. He couldn't explain the rush. He knew they had all night, but he just needed her so badly. He had wanted this all day, and he wasn't going to delay any longer.

"So amazing," he muttered against her collarbone as she undid the button of his jeans.

----

She woke up wearing the cashmere sweater he'd had on the night before, and inhaled its scent deeply before running her hand over the bare chest of the man laying next to her. He had been awake for a while, just letting her sleep peacefully next to him, thinking how crazy it was to be laying with her again. But crazy in a good way.

"I don't what it is about you, but I have slept better the past two nights than I have in a long time," he admitted, letting his hand come to rest on her stomach.

"Me too," she said, arching her back and stretching slightly. "I think it's this bed."

"Oh really? The bed?" he said, deadpan.

"Is this one of those memory foam dealies? Because I swear it's the most comfortable bed ever," she said with a smile, making him laugh. "I guess the company isn't so bad either."

It had been a long time - longer than she'd like to admit - since she laid in bed with a man. There hadn't been anyone since her breakup with Julian, and that was nearly two years ago. Two years. That thought would have been depressing if Nathan hadn't pulled her closer to him and shifted onto his side so they were facing each other with their limbs entangled. He leaned in and kissed her, letting his hand press her into him, and moaning when she shimmied so their bodies were flush to one another.

"What are we doing?" she asked breathlessly after they'd broken their kiss. She nuzzled against his chest as he held her close.

"I thought we were laying in bed together comfortably," he pointed out. She didn't need to see the grin on his face to know it was there.

"You know what I mean. What are we doing?" she repeated.

Suddenly she worried that this was the worst thing either of them could possibly have done, no matter how damn good it felt. She wondered how everyone would react upon finding out that the two of them were sleeping together. It dawned on her that that's all it was at that point. They were just sleeping together, save for a couple conversations and a shared breakfast. And it had been two days! Two days and her mind was racing, full of questions and doubt.

"Peyton, do you like me?" he asked.

"Nathan..." She pulled away and the sight of her in his shirt stole his attention momentarily.

"I'm serious," he said sincerely. "Do you like me?"

"You think I'd be laying in bed with you if I didn't?" she asked.

"I dunno, you seemed to leave the bar with me pretty quickly the other night," he teased, earning him a cold glare before he got serious again. "I like you, Peyton. Enough that I don't care what anyone else thinks at this point."

"Are you just saying that so I don't get up right now and walk out of here?" she asked with a smile.

"No," he insisted, rolling onto his back and pulling her with him so she was almost on top of him. "I'm saying it because it's the truth. I really think we could potentially have a good thing."

"I think so, too," she admitted quietly before leaning up to capture his lips. "You wanna make it a really, really amazing thing?"

She moved so she was straddling him and his hands found her hips immediately. The boyish grin that graced his lips was one she didn't think she'd ever get tired of seeing.

"Hell yes," he muttered as he swiftly pulled the shirt she'd been wearing over her head, making her giggle until his lips were on hers again.

Things were just beginning to get even more heated when the phone next to Nathan's bed rang. He saw that it was Haley, and groaned. He couldn't ignore it, they both knew, as the call was probably about Jamie. He looked at Peyton apologetically, then reached for the phone.

"Hello?" he asked, momentarily distracted when Peyton leaned forward to grab the item of clothing he'd just torn off her. Her bare chest pressed against his before she sat up again and she noticed him take a deep breath.

"Hey Nathan. How's Peyton?" Haley asked timidly.

"She's OK," he said with a smirk, looking up at Peyton as she sat with his shirt loosely draped over her frame, and her legs on either side of his body, running her hands lightly over his chest and stomach. "She was up most of the night, so I think she might be pretty tired out now. She's been in bed for a while."

Peyton's mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide as he spoke with such misleading honesty.

"That's good. I'm sure you're taking care of her," Haley said sincerely.

"Oh yeah, I'm giving her exactly what she needs," Nathan grinned. Peyton rolled her eyes and moved to get off him, but his free arm stopped her and before she knew it, she was smiling down at him, though she really, really would have liked to be mad.

"Well, I just wanted to say thanks for switching weekends," Haley said softly. "I know it was last minute, but I'm heading to New York with Brooke and Lindsey next weekend, so it kind of made sense for me. I'll try to give you more notice if something like this happens again."

"It's OK, Haley. I understand," he said genuinely. "I hope you have fun with the girls."

"Yeah, Lindsey invited us, so Peyton won't be there. I hope she'll come around soon," Haley said sadly.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she'll come soon," Nathan smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at Peyton as he spoke. She swatted him hard on the chest in protest to the way he was speaking. "Ow!!"

"Are you OK?" Haley asked worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah. Just um..." He was forced to pause and stifle a groan when Peyton shifted on his lap and leaned down to kiss along his jaw line. "Stubbed my toe."

"Ouch," she laughed. "Well listen, I have to go, but Jamie misses you. I'll drop him off at your place after school on Tuesday."

"Sounds good, Hales. Talk to you later," he said quickly. He didn't wait for her to say goodbye before hanging up the phone an pulling Peyton's face to his for a hungry kiss.

"You're such a jerk," she said with a smile as she pulled away. Both his hands came to rest on her thighs again, and he took a moment to just stare at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he insisted quickly.

"Tell me," she said, putting her hands on her hips sternly. She meant business.

"You're just beautiful," he said timidly, taking her hands in his as he sat up to face her.

"Is that all?" she muttered, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Yeah, that's it," he said with a smirk.

"Actually," she said, climbing off him and walking to the door, leaving him alone in his bed that now suddenly felt far too cold and empty without her there. "I'm also starving."

"Right," he nodded, putting his hand behind his head as he watched her in just his sweater and her underwear. "I guess that flu bug probably took a lot out of you."

"OK," she laughed. "Flu Bug is _so_ your new nickname."

She ran out of the room before he could stop her and tell her that she most certainly could not call him that. He tried to remember the last time he saw her so happy, and he simply couldn't. It was probably their senior year of high school when she was with Lucas, but he was pretty sure he hadn't seen a smile like the one he just saw in a very, very long time. That he was the one who had put it there, filled him with a sense of pride he hadn't expected.

He spent a few more minutes just reflecting on the last couple days with her, but then her voice called him from downstairs, promising coffee and pancakes, and he knew he could definitely get used to having her around.


	3. Chapter 3

Three days went by and Nathan and Peyton hadn't seen each other since he drove her back to her car just before dinner on Sunday. Save for a brief phone call and a couple text messages, they hadn't had any contact. And he missed her. He tried his hardest to remember what it was like to wake up next to her, but nothing even came close to the real thing. He wanted to see her, but he wasn't yet sure how they were going to 'date' each other when there were so many other people to consider.

Lucas may have been married, but he was certainly someone they had to worry about. Not only was he still inexplicably protective of Peyton, but Haley was his best friend. Lucas would want both Nathan and Peyton to be happy, but not if it came at Haley's expense. And, though it killed him to think it, he knew Peyton wouldn't do that either. Then of course, there was Haley herself. Obviously, Nathan didn't want to hurt her at all. He still cared for her, though she was no longer his wife. And she was one of Peyton's best friends. There was a lot to consider, and it seemed that the longer he went without talking to the blonde, the more she consumed his every thought.

Tuesday was his night with Jamie, and he had the boy from right after school until 9:00. Originally, Haley had wanted to have him home by 7:00, but the puppy dog eyes from both Nathan and her son had made her change her mind. She couldn't - and wouldn't - keep her son from his father, and vice versa. And Jamie missed his dad so much that she just didn't have it in her heart to say no. So far, it seemed to be working out fine. As long as Nathan promised to help the boy with his homework, she had no problem extending his bedtime on the nights he visited.

Jamie had proven to be a great distraction from the leggy blonde, but it had only worked for as long as the boy was hanging out with him, talking basketball and joking and telling him all the silly things Skills had said the day before. As soon as his son was out the door, Nathan felt the ache that he'd felt since he'd last seen Peyton.

He had just come in from a run and peeled off his sweat soaked shirt when he heard the phone ring. He was too breathless to really speak, but something told him to answer anyway, and he was glad he did.

"Hello?" he said quickly, doing his best to steady his breathing and then taking a sip of water.

"You alright? You sound like you just ran a marathon," she said with a laugh. She pictured him in his house, sweating and red faced from his run, and she felt her own heart rate increase. What was it about this man that was driving her crazy in all the right ways?

"I kind of did," he laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she said. He could tell by the echo in his ear that she was at her office. "I miss you, though. I mean, if it's not too early to say that. If it's too early, then I um...accidentally dialed your number and meant to call someone else."

"Too early or not, I miss you too," he said with a laugh. He'd always thought her rambling adorable and somehow, when it was about him and how she'd missed him, he wished he was in front of her to see her lips curl as she spoke. "Honestly, I don't know what you've done to me."

"What does that mean?" she asked quickly, and slightly defensively.

"It means you're always in my head!" he said. She could hear him smiling, and suddenly the last thing she wanted to do was work for the rest of the day.

"I guess that's kind of a good place to be," she said softly. The Nathan Scott she used to know once upon a time wouldn't admit to something like that, but she was glad he had.

"I could think of better places," he muttered softly. She pretended not to hear him, knowing that their conversation would go very, very differently if she questioned it.

"So listen, how do you feel about having dinner with me tonight?" she asked. "You know, as a thank you for taking care of me the other night."

"Taking care of you," he said with a cheeky tone. "I think I took care of you a few times."

"_Anyway_," she said, laughing at his brazen innuendo. She was glad he couldn't see her blushing. "What do you say? Robbie's at 7:00?"

"I'll see you there," he agreed. He was already calmer knowing he'd see her.

Maybe what had been so hard was not knowing when he'd see her again and always having an eye out for her blonde curls or her tanned legs. Any time he'd been downtown, he'd look for her in a crowd, or drive past Tric and think about going to see her at her office. He couldn't remember the last time he felt that way about a woman. Even in the beginning, with Haley, he didn't recall that need, that ache, to be near someone.

And it was scary and wonderful at the same time.

----

Peyton sat in her office after talking to Nathan, and couldn't focus on any of the work she was supposed to do. All she'd wanted to do since the last time they saw each other, was see him again. She had tried to throw herself into her work like she'd always done when she needed to forget about something, or someone. She'd been doing it for the past year, and it had worked with the other Scott brother. This Scott brother was harder to forget, and that terrified her.

Brooke had noticed Peyton's complete change in attitude since her mysterious hookup, and though it was killing her to not know who it was who'd had the power to change her best friend's outlook so completely, she didn't want to press for details. She just wanted Peyton to be happy, and it seemed that she finally was.

The brunette walked into Peyton's spacious office, clicking her heels on the floor and carrying two cups of coffee.

"Hey buddy," Peyton called. She was thankful for the distraction and the caffeine.

"Hey! Milli's closing the store, so I came to bring you coffee and hang out," Brooke explained.

"I love that my office is like, your new lounge," Peyton laughed, walking to where Brooke had collapsed on the couch at the far end of the room.

"It's funky in here, and we can talk without worrying about customers or whatever," Brooke pointed out with a shrug. Peyton took the coffee cup that had been extended to her. "So listen, Owen's coming for dinner tonight, but you're more than welcome to stay."

"Wait," Peyton started, "you just came here because you're picking him up, didn't you?"

"No! He's actually not even here," Brooke assured. She didn't want Peyton to feel like she wasn't the first priority, though she knew it had come off that way since she started dating Owen.

"Well, thanks for thinking of me, but I actually have plans," Peyton explained before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Would this happen to be your secret lover?" Brooke asked, jokingly whispering the last words and making Peyton laugh.

She thought for a moment. Nathan _was_ her 'secret lover'. She smiled just thinking about it.

"Actually, Nathan and I are grabbing a bite," she said. She wasn't sure why she hadn't said they were 'having dinner together', but it just sounded too formal or too date-like or too serious.

"Really?" Brooke asked, surprise evident in her voice.

She knew the two of them had always had a close relationship, but she didn't know anything about the two of them hanging out one-on-one in recent months. There were a few times the three of them had gotten together in what Brooke had called a 'throwback to the beginning'; the time before Lucas and Haley came into the picture.

"Yeah. I wanted to repay him for letting me stay at his place the other night and holding my hair back for me," Peyton laughed.

"OK, gross," Brook said, closing her eyes and shaking her head to ward off that mental image. "That's kind of nice of you, though."

"I figure it's the least I can do," Peyton explained with a shrug. Inwardly, she couldn't wait to sit across from him and look into his eyes and hear his laugh.

"I was actually kind of surprised that he offered to take care of you. He was never good with the throwing up and stuff," Brooke said.

"I guess after you have a baby, nothing grosses you out any more," Peyton said, brushing off the comment.

"I guess," Brooke said with a shrug. "So are you going to see the guy again? The one from the other night?"

"Uh...yeah, I think I will," Peyton said with a smile.

"I gotta say, I'm really glad that whoever he is and whatever he did to you, he can make you smile like that," Brooke said, pointing to the grin that was still firmly in place on her lips.

"Well, he kind of came out of nowhere, but we'll see," Peyton shrugged again. "It's kind of early to tell, but I think it could be something more."

"Peyton, I'm so happy for you," Brooke said with a smile. "I would love to meet him. You know, if he ends up sticking around for a while."

"We'll see," Peyton repeated cryptically.

She still wasn't sure how her friend would react knowing that 'he' was one of their closest friends, and their other best friend's ex-husband. And really, she knew it was far too early to say anything to anyone about the two of them. They hadn't even been 'seeing each other' for a week, so there was no way they were at the point of knowing what they were, or whether it was worth saying anything to anyone about them. But she also knew that she didn't want whatever they were to end any time soon.

The two women sat for the next hour, chatting about work or each other or Brooke's perpetually slowly blossoming relationship with Owen, then Peyton checked the clock, noticing that it was nearly time for her to go meet Nathan. They said their goodbyes, and Peyton drove across town to the restaurant.

Walking from her car, she noticed Nathan standing by the entrance waiting for her. He was in a simple red polo shirt and dark jeans. She wondered how he could make something so basic look so amazing. He saw her when she was about 20 feet away and smiled widely at just the sight of her. Her black skirt and blue top were perfect on her, though he was sure that she could wear anything and look like a million dollars. He wondered why he hadn't been looking at her like this all along.

"Hey," he said with a grin. God, he ached to kiss her.

"Hi," she smiled.

He gestured for her to walk into the restaurant, and didn't hesitate to check her out while she was walking in front of him. Once they were seated and had ordered their drinks, he sat back with his arms crossed and just stared at her.

"What?" she asked. His attention on her was unnerving and she felt there was something he wasn't saying.

"I just like this," he said, leaning forward. "Me and you, sitting here."

"Yeah," she replied with a grin. "I kind of like it, too."

"So how was your day?" he asked, taking the menu in his hands and looking it over.

"Not so productive," she answered. She took a sip of water from the glass in front of her, and he looked up just in time to see her wipe her bottom lip subtly with her index finger.

"Why's that?" he questioned. He had to say something, but the words were hard to come by. The effect she had on him was mind boggling. He felt like a fool, barely able to control himself around her.

"I just have a million little things to do, and I don't want to do any of them," she explained. "Like stuffing envelopes, and going through press clippings and calculating the publicity value. And there's a bunch of administrative stuff that needs to be done and...I'm sorry. This is probably all totally boring to you."

"No! Not at all," he said quickly. "But you know, most people would hire an assistant to do all the stuff you just listed off."

"But assistants require salaries, and I'm just not 100 per cent positive I want to do that right now," she said vaguely.

She'd been trying to save enough money to buy her own house, and though it meant extra hours and menial work from time to time, she was alright with that if it meant she could have her own home quicker.

"Right. I actually think it's amazing that you're running your label all by yourself. Amazing and a little intimidating."

"Intimidating?"

"Yeah. Strong, independent, business minded women are definitely intimidating," he pointed out. "But in a good way."

"Well, you _were_ raised by one," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"OK, who are you, complimenting my mom like that? Skills?" he asked, grimacing at the thought of the 'affair' his mother and his friend had had.

"Oooo," she said with wide eyes, leaning forward and resting her arms on the table. "How'd that all happen anyway? And why'd they end it?"

"You don't want to hear either of those things," he insisted.

"Oh yes, I do," she said adamantly.

He just laughed and launched into the whole story of how his mother 'met' one of his best friends through an internet chat site, and began seeing one another. She laughed when Nathan replayed his initial reaction upon hearing about the two of them. Then he told her about how, just as he'd suspected, Skills met someone his own age and his relationship with Deb fizzled out. Peyton explained that maybe once the original secrecy and spark wore off, all they were left with was the age difference. He hadn't told many people about how they'd ended the relationship, and the new girl Skills had met wasn't in the picture any more. He was very protective of his mom, and always had been. She insisted she wasn't hurt by the end of her relationship, but he suspected it affected her more than she let on.

The two of them made it through dinner, while stealing looks at each other. They both recognized that glimmer in the others' eyes saying there was somewhere else they'd rather be together, and something else they'd rather be doing together. He watched her eat her dessert, and his heart raced at the sounds she was making indicating how good it was. When she reached over the table and offered him a bite of the rich chocolate off her fork, he didn't hesitate to take it from her. It was a rare outwardly romantic moment between the two of them, in an otherwise seemingly platonic dinner. When the bill came, he wouldn't let her pay; he couldn't. She had tried to insist, but he had none of it. He wanted to take care of her. Of all the things he missed about being married, taking care of someone else so selflessly was the thing he longed for most.

"So I have an idea," he said as they made their way out of the restaurant and onto the street.

"Uh oh," she muttered teasingly.

"Funny," he deadpanned. "Why don't you take me to your office and I can help you with some of those little things you have to do?"

"Nathan," she started, "you don't want to do that."

"How do you know? I just want to hang out. You can put on some of your crappy music," he joked, looking at her pointedly. "And we can just talk."

"Well I guess I can't really argue with that, can I?" she asked. "Follow me."

"Wait," he said, stopping in his tracks. "We need a plan in case someone sees us together."

"OK, James Bond," she laughed. "We're friends. Friends can hang out, can't they?"

"I guess so," he nodded, a smile breaking on his lips. "I'll grab us a couple coffees and see you there."

"I have a bottle of bourbon in my bottom drawer, but if you'd rather have coffee...," she said with a grin.

"No, bourbon is definitely a better call," he said quickly, making her laugh as she started walking away from him.

He drove behind her, watching as her hair blew in the wind. He would have loved to be sitting next to her, seeing her steer with one hand and play with the radio relentlessly in that way that always used to drive him crazy. He used to be terrified driving with her because her attention would wander and she tended to go well over the speed limit. But in that moment, anywhere that wasn't right next to her seemed too far away.

She waited for him at the stairs and they walked into the bar together, slipping past the crowd and through the door to her office. He smiled when she clicked the lock behind them, giving them privacy from the people drinking and dancing.

"Alright, Sawyer, put me to work," he said, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically.

"Music first," Peyton said, walking to the CD player and shuffling through her collection for the album she knew he'd love.

"Whatchya got?" he asked with a smirk as he looked around her office space. "Dashboard? Taking Back Sunday? Teegan and Sarah?"

"Ha ha," she said sarcastically before turning on the album she'd chosen. "How 'bout this?"

"Talib Kweli," he observed with a nod. "Nice."

She pulled two glasses and the bottle from her bottom desk drawer, and poured as he sat down across from her. He took the glass when she pushed it across the desk towards him, and raised the rim to clink against hers before taking a sip.

"So really, what can I do?" he asked.

"You can come over here and kiss me like I have wanted you to since I saw you in front of the restaurant," she said with a raised brow and a hand on her hip.

He wasted no time walking around the desk, wrapping his arms around her and leaning down to press his lips to hers. One of her hands ran through the hair at the back of his neck, while the other rested against his chest. He pushed her back so she was sitting on the edge of her desk, and stood between her legs while his hands slipped beneath her shirt at the small of her back.

"Wait," she said breathlessly, pushing him away slightly. He rested his forehead against hers and smiled before pecking her on the lips quickly once more.

"Sorry," he muttered quietly.

"Don't be sorry," she said, chuckling slightly. "We just can't do that right now."

"Because we're in your office?" he asked.

"No. Because Brooke has a sixth sense about these things and I told her I was having dinner with you tonight," Peyton explained sadly. She wished now that she hadn't said anything to her best friend.

"A sixth sense?" he inquired, stepping away from her just to put space between them. Surely, if he stood where he'd been standing, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her.

"It's creepy," she said with a nod.

"Alright," he laughed, walking to the other side of the desk. "But you started it."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, rolling her eyes as she picked up a filing box that had been sitting on the floor next to her desk. "Here."

He took the box from her and saw that it was full of CDs with various band names and photos, none of which he'd ever heard of.

"What's this?" he asked.

"These are sucky demos that I have to mail back. I've got all the envelopes addressed, I just have to stuff them with these letters," she said, holding up a stack of papers, "and those CDs. Then we'll seal them and I'll take them to the post office tomorrow morning."

"So remind me again why you don't have an assistant?" he joked. She rolled her eyes again and walked to the couch. He joined her there, putting the box between them.

"Nathan," she said after a moment. "What are we gonna tell people? I mean, I don't really know what anyone is going to think about this."

"I know. I was thinking the same thing," he admitted. "Why don't we just kind of...do our thing and see what happens?"

"Meaning?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Meaning, not tell people for a while. I don't want to deal with all the gossip and craziness that's going to come with this," he said, before realizing that sounded pretty horrible. "I just mean that I want to enjoy my time with you and get to know you again without having to worry about what people are saying about us."

"Yeah," she said absently. "Yeah, you're right."

"Are you OK with that?" he asked seriously, sensing there was something she wasn't telling him. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable with anything."

She just smiled and leaned forward to kiss him quickly, because the Nathan she used to date would never have said something like that.

"I'm definitely OK with that," she insisted.

And she was. The last thing she needed were questions and comments from people wanting to know what was going on before she even had answers. And of course, there was the fact that their relationship, if they could even call it that, was really new and barely even started. If it ended, they'd have to face questions about that, too, and would have gone through telling people for no reason. This way, if things ended, they wouldn't have to answer to anyone.

They spent the next hour and a half sipping bourbon and stuffing envelopes, joking and laughing and stealing kisses. He noticed a few large boxes sitting in the recording studio, and offered to move them to her storage room for her, which he did with ease. It was nice to have a man around to help her with those things. She had done well on her own, but every so often, she needed help, as much as she didn't like to admit it.

Then, after the work was done and they'd each finished their drinks, they got caught up with each other on the couch again. He knew they should have been able to control themselves, but he certainly didn't want to stop again. She really was making it easy to forget about everything and focus only on her. And he knew she wasn't even trying.

"Nathan," she said breathlessly against the bare skin of his chest as he lay beneath her. She'd pulled off his shirt and it was laying on the floor a few feet away.

"Yeah?" he responded, running his hand down her back to rest on her hip.

"I really don't want to do this here," she explained, pulling away from him slightly.

"My house?" he asked, pulling her back down to kiss her once more before she could protest.

"But Brooke...," she said worriedly.

"You can just tell her you went to see the same guy you saw the other night," he said with a shrug. Looking up at her like that, with her face flushed and her hair falling over her shoulders, he wasn't sure he'd even be able to make it home, he wanted her so badly.

"You kind of are like James Bond," she said seductively, leaning down to kiss the hinge of his jaw, eliciting a moan.

"That's a nickname I could get on board with," he said, making her laugh as she sat up.

She shifted in his lap before she stood, and he was sure she was just trying to torture him. She picked up his shirt and tossed it towards him, then watched as he got up and covered his perfect body with the material. He really was gorgeous.

They took a few minutes to compose themselves, then walked out of her office and towards their cars. Peyton was wondering how this could possibly carry on, with all the sneaking around and worry about getting caught, and Nathan was wondering how he hadn't realized Peyton was as incredible as she was. He'd seen her a couple times a week for the past year, and he'd forgotten how amazing it was to just talk with her and be around her. He'd also forgotten how good a kisser she was, and was trying to think of quicker ways to get to his house so he could be alone with her again.


	4. Chapter 4

The next week and a half was spent organizing secret rendezvous and sneaking around behind everyones' backs. They had it down to a science. She'd tell Brooke she was going out for the night, and then head over to Nathan's place. He cleaned out a spot in his garage for her to park so no one would see her car, and they'd spend their evenings together eating dinner and sitting on the back porch of his house talking and sipping wine or beer or coffee.

This particular evening, she went to his place straight from work with pizza and a six pack, hoping to vent her horrible day to him and have him kiss her and rub her back comfortingly. She entered the house through the garage door and kicked off her shoes before stepping into the kitchen.

"Nate!" she called, as she usually did. "I got dinner. I had the _worst_ day."

She made her way through the house looking for him until she came to the living room and saw him sitting on the floor with Jamie next to him, and the boy's school books spread out on the coffee table in front of him. He looked up at her with a smile, though he was wondering how she could forget that it was his night with Jamie.

"Hey Jamie," she said nervously.

"Hi Peyton," he said with a smile before turning back to his work.

Peyton mouthed an apology to Nathan, and he just shook his head, indicating that it was OK for her to be there. He'd been feeling, since he'd started spending more time with her, that he wanted her to get to know Jamie better. He had felt since their first dinner together that his relationship with her was really something that might last. And he was scared of that. He hadn't said anything to her about it, because he had no clue how she really felt. If he was being honest, he was terrified that she was still hung up on his brother, at least a little bit.

"So, what are you guys doing?" she asked, sitting on the floor across from them at the table.

"Math," Jamie said, making a face to show his dislike for the subject.

"And your dad's helping you?" Peyton teased, winking at Nathan who rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. What'd you bring for dinner?" Jamie asked with interest. It was nearly 6:00, and Nathan had him wanted to finish his homework before they got distracted and taken away from it.

"I picked up a pizza," she said, watching as the boy's eyes lit up and his head snapped over to stare at his father pleadingly.

"OK. Dinner first," Nathan laughed. "Then it's back to homework."

"OK!" Jamie said excitedly, getting up and running in to the kitchen. Peyton watched him round the corner out of sight, then turned to Nathan.

"I'm so sorry! I forgot Thursday was your day. I should have called," she rambled quickly as they stood.

"It's OK. You brought pizza, so he won't complain," Nathan laughed.

"I should go and let you guys do your thing," she said, but he looked at her like she was crazy.

"Why? Stay and hang out with us," he said with a shrug.

"Are you sure? Because it's really OK," she said, shaking her head.

"Peyton!" Jamie shouted from the kitchen. Both Nathan and Peyton headed into the kitchen to see Jamie sitting at the counter with a plate in front of him and a mouthful of food. "This is the best pizza ever."

"It's my favourite, too," she smiled, taking the plate Nathan had handed her and sitting next to the little blonde haired boy.

"Dad, can I have a soda?" he asked with a pleading smile.

"No, you can't," Nathan laughed. He knew that Jamie was aware that soda was only a treat for Saturday afternoons. "I'll get you some juice. Peyton, you want a beer?"

"Beer's gross," Jamie said, scrunching his nose in disgust.

"Who let you taste beer?" Nathan asked with interest and worry, turning to face Jamie and crossing his arms on his chest.

"Uncle Skills," Jamie shrugged. Nathan and Peyton exchanged a look. "Mom was there. It was just a sip."

Peyton could see by the look on Nathan's face that he was disappointed. She wasn't sure if he'd be upset that Haley had let his son taste alcohol at the mere age of 6, but it looked like something more than that. She sent him a small smile and it somehow made him feel just that little bit better. He knew she'd see the concern on his face, and he kind of liked that he finally had someone again who cared enough to worry about him.

"Eat your pizza," Nathan said, changing the subject as he handed Jamie and Peyton their drinks, then taking a bite of his own food.

The three of them sat in Nathan's kitchen, laughing and telling stories about their respective days. Between the three of them, the finished the pizza, and Peyton offered to help Jamie with his math homework while Nathan tidied the kitchen. He cleaned the dishes, thinking how wonderful she was with his son. It wasn't that Jamie was a difficult kid to get along with, but she didn't even have to put forth any effort, and his son was completely taken with her. He actually felt at a couple points during their meal that he was staring into the future, though he cast those thoughts aside almost as quickly as they had come.

Nathan walked back into the living room to see Peyton and Jamie closing the boy's school books and tucking them into his back pack.

"What's this?" he asked, standing in the door way with his arms crossed.

"I'm all done. I think Peyton is better at math than you, dad," Jamie said with a smirk.

"I think she's better at a lot of things than I am," Nathan laughed, making her roll her eyes.

He walked into the room and sat on the couch as far away from Peyton as he could. He knew that if he sat next to her, he'd take her hand or rub her back or do something else that he didn't need his son to witness between him and Peyton just yet. The three spent the rest of their evening watching a basketball game and laughing together before Nathan had to leave to drive Jamie back to Haley's place. He told Peyton to stay and that he'd be back in a little bit. Jamie didn't ask why she wasn't leaving as well, and so she didn't think it would be so bad if she just waited for Nathan to return. She opened another beer and sat quietly beneath a blanket on his back porch for about a half hour until he joined her again.

She thought about how natural it seemed to be with him and Jamie, and how it shouldn't have been so easy. Of course, Jamie already knew her well, and had no clue that she was in a relationship with his father, but everything just seemed to go so smoothly. She didn't even know how that was possible, but she knew she loved watching Nathan as a father. He was wonderful, and her heart swelled as she watched him with his son.

"Hey," he said with a smile, sitting next to her on the porch swing.

"Hey," she echoed. She leaned into his side and he pulled her into an embrace, rubbing his hand up and down her arm as they looked out over the black water.

"So you had a rough day, huh?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter any more," she said, smiling as she looked up at him. "It's over."

"Yeah," he muttered. He was quiet and pensive, and she could tell that there was something going on that he wasn't telling her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, pulling away to look him in the eyes.

"Nothing," he said. She tilted her head and looked at him imploringly, letting him know that she knew there was something wrong. He knew there was no use trying to avoid the question. "I just keep missing all these things with him."

"Nathan..." she attempted, but he interrupted her.

"I miss him _all_ the time," he admitted. "And I should have been with him when he had beer for the first time. I know that sounds stupid, but those are things a father should get to do with his son."

"It's not stupid," she assured him. "You should talk to Haley. She probably didn't realize it would bother you."

"I know. That's kind of the problem."

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"She didn't realize it. Maybe she didn't know me as well as I thought she did. Or as well as I wanted her to, you know?" he said quickly. He wasn't usually one to lay his feelings out on the line, but something about Peyton made him feel like he could say or do anything.

"I know," she whispered, nodding her understanding.

"Luke?" he asked timidly.

She didn't know what to do. They hadn't had this talk, though she knew they had to. She'd spent a lot of time and energy trying to win back his brother, and she knew she'd face questions about that, and how she could switch that off so quickly after getting together with Nathan - though that wasn't exactly what had happened. But it had been two weeks and they hadn't yet talked about Lucas or Haley, and she knew it had to happen.

"Yeah," she sighed. "We need to talk about him, don't we?"

"Yeah," he nodded, shifting so he could look at her. This conversation was going to be a long, emotional, intense one, and he knew that he needed to be able to look into her eyes as she spoke.

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked, looking down at their hands as she intertwined her fingers with his.

"The proposal, I guess," he said with a shrug. He really didn't want to hear all the details he knew he needed to.

"Well, he probably told you I said no, but I said someday," she clarified. He furrowed his brow, and she continued, knowing more information was necessary. "He surprised me in L.A., though it felt more like an ambush, and went into this big spiel about how he wanted to get married because we were drifting apart and he didn't think we'd survive the long distance thing otherwise."

"So he thought getting engaged would help that?" he asked suspiciously.

"That's what I said. I told him that if he didn't think we could survive it, how did he think we'd survive a marriage?" she continued. "It was a whole big argument, but I think that as soon as I didn't say yes right away, he had decided we were over. It's like he didn't hear what he wanted to hear, so he just stopped listening. I woke up the next morning and he was just...gone. I didn't hear from him for an entire year."

"Wow," he muttered. He'd only heard Lucas' side of the story, and though he didn't doubt that the parts his brother had said were true, he knew now how Peyton felt. Now he had the whole story.

"So then he called me for his book signing, and I went and saw him there with Lindsey. That's when I met Julian," she explained.

They'd talked about Julian before. He wasn't a threat whatsoever, and it seemed like a somewhat neutral topic. She didn't want to keep that part of her past from him. She'd even told him the reason for their breakup, though it hurt her to admit it, and she knew it hurt him to hear it.

"You know, when I put it all out there, it kind of makes me wonder how I ever thought we were meant to be, you know?" she asked quickly. "We've never been able to get it together, and the more I think about it, the more I think that the only reason we lasted as long as we did was _because_ we didn't see each other every day, not in spite of that." She shifted again and tucked her leg beneath her, and Nathan got the feeling that maybe she was admitting that fact to herself just as much as she was admitting it to him. "Sorry. That probably sounds crazy."

"No, it doesn't," he insisted softly, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He averted her gaze before he spoke again. "Peyton, I'm only going to ask this once."

"What?" she asked.

"Are you really over him? I mean, completely over him?" he inquired, finally looking up at her again.

He remembered that first night with her in the bar, and how she'd told him she was done with Lucas, but he needed to hear it again. Once he heard the words again, with their relationship in the place it was in, he wouldn't question it again. At least, he hoped he wouldn't.

"Yes," she said, nodding her head for emphasis. "He was my first real love, and you know as well as I do that that just doesn't go away. But I don't have any lingering romantic feelings for him. _Any_, Nathan."

"And if he wasn't married?" he asked timidly. She wondered if she'd ever seen Nathan so vulnerable, so unsure. But there was something refreshing to her about him asking these questions.

"Even if he wasn't, I realize that we wouldn't have worked out. We had our chance, and it was great while it lasted, but it's over," she insisted.

"OK," he said, nodding his understanding.

"That's it? OK?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "It's over, you're over him. I trust you."

It was an interesting thing to her, to not have to work to convince someone of the facts she'd just spoken. She'd spent more words and breath in the past months - hell, years - telling people that she was over Lucas. And now it was true, and the one person who had the right to question her and doubt her, wasn't. He just accepted it because he could tell she was telling him the truth. She loved that.

"What about Haley?" she asked quietly, looking down at her hands again. She shivered as a breeze came off the ocean, and he pulled the blanket up around her shoulders a little more, making her smile up at him as a wordless thank you.

"What about her?" he asked. She tilted her head at him and he realized that, though they'd spoken more about his marriage than they had about her and Lucas, he needed to elaborate. "She's my ex-wife. She was _my_ first real love, and she gave me my son."

"But you were so devastated when she asked for a divorce," Peyton said, shaking her head, wondering how he was so aloof about it.

"Because I didn't see it coming. She accused me of something that wasn't entirely true, and I didn't think I deserved that," he explained.

"You didn't," she insisted, rubbing his forearm comfortingly.

"She said she didn't want to keep trying to change me," he said with a shrug. "The thing is? I never asked her to. She took on that role. And honestly, as soon as she said those words, I wondered what was so bad about me in the first place."

"Nathan..." Peyton started, shaking her head.

"I think that's when I realized that she'd never really think I was good enough for her," he said, cutting off her attempt at trying to console him. "And maybe we wouldn't have worked out anyway, even without everything else. I kind of think Haley was just waiting for the next thing she could call a screw up, and that's not a healthy relationship."

"You really think that's how she felt?" she asked. She wasn't skeptical of it, but in all the conversations she'd had with Haley since the separation and divorce, she'd never explained it like that.

"Yeah," he nodded. "And even if she didn't, just me thinking that, is enough to let me know that she just didn't trust me. It kind of makes me wonder if she ever had any faith in me. I mean, if that makes sense."

"It does," Peyton insisted. "I understand."

He just looked at her and smiled. She understood. No one had. He'd tried to explain the same thing to his brother, who he knew was already in an awkward position, being both his brother and his ex-wife's best friend. He hadn't asked much of Lucas, only that he listen to his side of the story, which the blonde had done without judgement. Lucas had said that Nathan's concerns had made sense, but Nathan could tell that his brother didn't necessarily agree with or understand everything he'd said.

But Peyton got it. She'd been in a similar situation, he thought. She'd loved someone completely, only to have that person turn around and say it wasn't enough. And it hurt, and it was hard, but they'd both survived it. They'd both learned from the experience and taken from it what they needed. The more he spoke to Peyton about these heavy issues, the more he realized that they were a better fit now than they ever were at 17. Of course, it didn't take much to realize it, looking back on the rocky and failed relationship they'd shared in their youth. But it felt as though they each needed to explore other things - to take other chances - to take them back to each other.

He wondered, silently, if she was everything he'd ever wanted.

"Want to go inside?" he asked, watching as she shook her head emphatically in the negative. She leaned back into his side and placed her hand on his thigh.

"Let's just sit for a while," she said.

"It's cold out here," he complained. She could hear him smile, knowing she always thought it funny that a grown man could pout as well as he could.

She took the blanket that was draped over her shoulders and rested it over their laps. They sat like that for another hour, laughing at things Jamie had said and talking about their respective days. It felt better to have everything out in the open. She didn't worry that he was still hanging on to Haley, and he didn't worry that she had any lingering feelings for his brother. It was just the two of them, sitting together in the darkness.

They went to bed and realized that this was the first time she'd stayed over when they hadn't had sex. She pulled on one of his old tee shirts and laid down on her side of the bed, waiting for him to finish in the bathroom and join her. He walked back into the room in just his boxers, smiling at the sight of her cuddled up in his sheets. She was beautiful and gracious and compassionate, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and have her fall asleep with her head on his chest.

So that's what he did.

----

When Nathan's alarm went off, neither of them wanted to get out of bed. It was warm and comfortable and the last thing he wanted to do was go for a run, though he knew he had to, and the last thing she wanted to do was go to the office.

She showered and pulled on the clothes she'd packed discreetly the day before. He smiled when he saw her, fully clothed, hair done, make-up on, and smoothing out her top in front of the mirror. He was laying in bed, procrastinating getting up and starting his day.

"What?" she asked, furrowing her brow at him.

He was making it even harder for her to leave. He was shirtless and the sheets were gathered around his waist. He had one hand behind his head and a smirk firmly planted on his lips. She wished her schedule wasn't so full, or she would have taken some time to stay with him.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. She wanted to argue and press him for information, but another look at the clock told her she really had to go.

"I'll see you," she said, walking to him and pecking his lips quickly.

"Call me later," he requested, watching her hips sway as she left his bedroom. She raised her hand in acknowledgment and headed down the hall.

She called Haley on her way to the office, knowing her friend wouldn't be in class yet. After their conversation the night before, and learning about the way Nathan felt about his role in his son's life, Peyton was going to take matters into her own hands. She was good enough friends with Haley that she didn't think it would be out of line to bring it up, and Haley knew that Peyton and Nathan's 'friendship' had been growing lately.

"Hey Peyton," Haley said as she answered the phone. Peyton could tell she had been laughing, then heard Lucas' voice in the background. She had to smile when it didn't effect her like it used to.

"Hey Haley," she said happily. "I was just wondering if you had lunch plans today?"

"Um, no, actually. And my free period is right after lunch today," Haley explained.

"Oh! Perfect. You want to meet me at Crossroads at noon-ish?" Peyton asked, steering her car through Nathan's neighbourhood and towards her own office.

"Yeah! That sounds great. I'll see you then," Haley agreed.

They said their goodbyes and hung up, and Peyton hoped that Nathan wouldn't be mad at her for bringing up the issue she knew he couldn't. Well, the issue she knew he wouldn't.

Peyton got through her morning rather quickly. Her day was busy, but she got as much done as possible before she had to meet Haley, freeing up some time in her afternoon so the two of them could chat as long as possible. Just as she was leaving for lunch, she realized she had left her phone in her car, so she stopped to get it before walking to the restaurant. She opened it to check for messages, and noticed something she hadn't seen that morning. Nathan must have taken the photo of himself while she was in the shower, because now it was on the background of her phone. She laughed to herself at the boyish gesture, but quickly changed the picture so no one else would see.

She made the short walk to the restaurant, and noticed that Haley was already inside, sitting by the window. She sat down across from her friend and the two exchanged greetings and made small talk before ordering their meals.

"So what's up?" Haley asked as they waited for their food to arrive, sensing from Peyton's body language that there was something on her mind.

"OK," Peyton sighed. "Please tell me if this is crossing a line or whatever. And I realize it's really none of my business to bring it up, but I feel like I should because..."

"Peyton," Haley interrupted, laughing at her friend's rambling.

"Right," Peyton laughed nervously. "Well, you know I've been hanging out with Nathan a lot, right?"

"Yeah. Jamie wouldn't stop talking about you this morning," Haley said with a chuckle.

"He just likes me because I brought food," Peyton joked, making them both laugh again. "Well, last night we were talking, and it's really tearing him apart that he can't spend more time with Jamie. And I know it's not my place to say anything, but I know he wouldn't talk to you about it, even though I'm pretty sure you already know he misses Jamie."

"Of course," Haley said quietly, shaking her head. "I am in no way trying to keep them apart, trust me."

"Oh, I know!" Peyton said quickly, realizing that her words may have sounded accusatory, though they weren't meant to be. "And I know that you have both been super flexible and really great about the whole thing. I actually kind of admire the way you two are handling the situation."

"Thanks Peyton," Haley said with a smile. "And Jamie wants to be with his dad, too. It breaks my heart. I mean, not because he wants to leave me sometimes, but just because he can't have us both. I didn't want that for him."

"I know," Peyton said softly, nodding sympathetically. She knew that there was no way either Nathan or Haley wanted to cause their son any emotional pain.

"I just don't know how to balance it any better," Haley admitted. "I don't want to miss him either, and I don't want to take him from Nathan."

"Well - and this is just a suggestion that you don't even have to listen to if you don't want to," she laughed. "Maybe you could let Nathan have him for a full week every once in a while. I mean, the details would be all yours to figure out, and you could just do it when it's convenient for you both, but it might just let them get that sense of normalcy, you know?"

She knew that the scenario she'd just outlined would mean that she wouldn't be able to see Nathan for weeks at a time, at least not at this point in their relationship when everything was still a secret, but she didn't care. She'd sacrifice that so he could spend the time with his son that she knew he was craving.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Haley admitted as their plates were set in front of them. "And I could have him a couple nights a week like Nathan does now."

"Yeah, I mean, whatever would work. God, I feel like a mediator or something!" Peyton laughed.

"Well, you're doing a good job," Haley said with a smile. "I guess I just don't understand why Nathan wouldn't just talk to me about this himself."

"I think he was just worried about what you'd say. You know him," Peyton said, before realizing the words she'd just spoken and Nathan's claims that his ex-wife didn't know him as well as he'd though.

"Yeah," Haley admitted quietly. "Well, I'll talk to him this afternoon and see what he says. And thanks, Peyton, for letting me know."

"No problem," Peyton said, smiling as she dug into her salad. "I love Jamie. I just want what's best for all of you, you know that."

Haley just smiled and nodded her head, thankful that her friends knew her so well and wanted to help her and what was left of her family any way they could.

"So," Haley said dramatically. "Tell me about this guy you're seeing."

Peyton could only laugh, knowing that Haley and Brooke had probably talked behind her back and tried to figure out who the guy was and why she was being so secretive. She launched into the details as vaguely as possible, which was difficult, given that Haley was once married to the guy. The two enjoyed the rest of their lunch, laughing and talking until they each had to get back to work.

The rest of her afternoon went relatively smoothly, with only a few snags. She'd gotten so much done in the morning that she could take her time with things, but still not have to work late.

At about 5:00, she was thinking about leaving when the door slid open and she saw Nathan walk in and close it behind him. She briefly wondered what he was doing there, but then she realized it really didn't matter; it was just nice to see him.

"Hey," she said happily, standing from her spot at the desk as he walked towards her.

"Did you talk to Haley?" he asked, with no other greeting.

She couldn't tell whether he was upset or not, and she wasn't sure if he should be or not. She wondered if he thought she'd meddled in business that wasn't hers, though she felt strongly that his happiness _was_ her business.

"OK," she said calmly, holding her hands out in front of her. "I know I crossed a line, and you can be mad if you want to..."

"I'm not mad," he said, shaking his head slightly as he stood a few feet from her. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to place the emotion in his voice.

"You're not?" she asked timidly.

"No. Of course not," he insisted. "I just can't believe you did that. Haley just called me and said you told her I wanted to spend more time with Jamie, so we're going to get together tomorrow afternoon and work something out."

"That's awesome, Nate," she said with a smile. "I talked to her because I knew you wouldn't do it."

"Yeah, but how many women would talk to the ex-wife of the guy they're seeing, trying to get him more time with his child?" Nathan asked, still bewildered that she'd taken it upon herself to help him that way.

"I just want you to be happy," she said with a shrug.

He let out a breathy chuckle and shook his head. She had no idea how much her talking to Haley meant to him, and he was sure that no matter what he told her, she still wouldn't get the point. He walked towards her and and took her in his arms in what, to any outsider, would look like an innocent hug.

"Thank you," he whispered into her hair. She just nodded, wanting nothing more than to stay like that with him for as long as he would allow her to, both figuratively and literally.

"So listen," he said as he pulled away. "I was going to head out to Raleigh tonight. A buddy of mine gave me Hurricanes tickets because he and his wife couldn't go. Game starts at 7:30. What do you say?"

"Hurricanes? That's a hockey team," she pointed out, looking at him in confusion.

"Yeah. So?" he asked.

"Do you know anything about hockey?" she inquired, laughing as she gathered her things.

"Of course I do!" he cried indignantly. "Come on. We have to leave now if we want to catch the first quarter."

"Nathan," she said, bursting into a fit of laughter. "Hockey games have three periods. Not four quarters."

"Whatever," he said with a smirk, shrugging his shoulders as he walked towards the door. She followed him, still laughing, and realized as she locked the door behind her, that they'd have an entire evening away from the small town where everyone knew them.

They held hands the entire drive to Raleigh, and laughed at Nathan's lack of hockey knowledge. She teased him for knowing less about the sport than she did, and he wondered how she knew so much. She explained that Julian had been a fan, and had season tickets to the Kings and used to take her to games when she lived in L.A.

She sang in the car when she thought he couldn't hear, and he smiled at the sweet, but underused, singing voice she had. He didn't let on that he'd heard even one note, for fear that she'd stop singing and he'd never hear her do it again.

Walking through the parking lot, Peyton a few steps ahead of him as they navigated their way through the crowd, he noticed the looks she drew from men who saw her. He smiled to himself, knowing he got to sit next to her and kiss her and leave with her. When he caught up with her, he noticed a few guys, about his age, staring at her and nudging each other subtly. She was clueless to them, but Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple, making her smile up at him. It wasn't a possessive or territorial move, it was just done in appreciation that he was the one she was with.

He laughed as she shouted _'hit him!'_ or_ 'shoot!' _at the appropriate times, and cheered wildly when the home team scored. During the second intermission, his phone rang, and he pulled it out to see that it was his brother. He was about to ignore the call when her voice stopped him.

"Answer it, Nathan," she instructed. "It's fine."

He took a deep breath and hit the green button before holding the phone to his ear and muttering a greeting.

"Hey Nathan," Lucas said. "Where are you?"

"I'm at a hockey game," he explained, realizing the amount of background noise that his brother was probably getting. "With Peyton."

She turned to look at him with wide eyes, shocked that he'd told Lucas she was with him.

"Oh. Cool," Lucas said simply before laughing. "Wait, what do you know about hockey?"

"Peyton's teaching me," he said, winking at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Uh, OK," Lucas said, dumbfounded. Clearly his brother's friendship with Peyton was growing faster than even he knew. "Well look, we're gonna play a game of pickup at the River Court tomorrow morning. You in?"

"Yeah, sure," Nathan said. "What time?"

"9:00. I know you're meeting up with Haley tomorrow, but we'll be done before then," Lucas explained.

"Alright. I'll see you, man," Nathan said. He didn't wait for his brother to respond before hanging up the phone.

"Playing tomorrow?" she asked, already knowing the answer. He usually did on Saturdays.

"Yeah. I need to get back on the court so I can feel superior to you," he laughed.

"OK. Good luck with _that_," she teased, rolling her eyes playfully. She looked beautiful even when she was making fun of him.

"Hey," he said softly, pulling her attention back to him. He looked into her eyes and leaned forward to kiss her.

He got a rush from the outwardly romantic moment. They hadn't had many, and something about kissing her with thousands of witnesses made their relationship feel more real. He needed that reassurance. He got it when she pulled away and smiled at him as she laced her fingers through his.

They watched the rest of the game and cheered together at the final buzzer when the Hurricanes had won. They walked back to his SUV with her arm around his waist and his around her shoulder. When she fell asleep on the drive home, he still kept her hand in his until they drove past the welcome sign for their home town. He woke her by gently shaking her as he pulled into her driveway.

She wanted to kiss him before she got out of the car, but she knew she couldn't. Instead she flashed him a smile and thanked him for the fun evening. It was probably the closest thing they'd had to a proper date, though they'd shared it with 18,000 hockey fans.

She walked to the door feeling far more for him than she should have at that point. And she didn't care at all. She was starting to realize that when it came to her and Nathan, no rules applied and they'd just have to take it one day at a time. And if all days were like the one she'd just had, that would be alright with her.

**----**

**A/N:** OK, I know everyone is waiting for people to find out, and they will, but it's going to take a few chapters. Don't hate me. It's all for good reason. I know this chapter was long, but it was important, I believe. Conversations they needed to have.


	5. Chapter 5

Peyton slept in late on Sunday, as she typically tried to do. Over a week had passed since they'd gone to the hockey game together. They'd barely seen each other since, only once when he visited her briefly at her office, and another time when she literally ran into him at the pharmacy. It was torture. She missed him, but it was his weekend with Jamie, and she knew he needed that alone time with his son. Jamie was the one person she'd sacrifice seeing Nathan for.

She lay awake in bed for a while, thinking about Nathan and the way he was making her feel. It was all too much, but she didn't want it to go away or slow down at all. All she wanted was some indication that Nathan felt the same. She wouldn't ask; she didn't dare.

She noticed the light on her phone blinking, letting her know she had a message. She'd had her ringer off for the better part of two days, just needed to escape that reminder of how busy her work had gotten.

She flipped open her phone and pressed the necessary buttons to bring up the text she'd received. It was from Nathan, and she wanted to hate herself for letting the wide smile spread across her face before she'd even read the words.

_'Come over later. I'll cook. Stay with me tonight...'_

She never got tired of hearing - or reading - those words. They may have been the ones he'd said most often since their first night together. _Stay with me tonight_. She wasn't sure if there were any sweeter phrase in the world. If there was, she couldn't recall it.

It had been only three weeks since they'd first gotten together, but things felt right, though he wished he could feel them more often. He'd spent the entire week organizing things with Haley regarding their new custody arrangement. They'd agreed that Nathan would have Jamie from Friday to Friday every three weeks, then every second weekend as he had before. He was thrilled. Haley had been more than accommodating and he only stopped thanking her when she'd begged him to with a laugh.

And he had Peyton to thank as well, but he hadn't had the time to say anything to her yet. He was craving her in ways that were surprising and maybe just a little bit scary. It was intense and all-consuming, but he couldn't bring himself to stop any of it. He wanted her, and a week was far too long to wait. As soon as his weekend with his son came to a close, he'd be with her again.

Peyton spent what was left of her morning and early afternoon doing laundry and tidying her room. She needed the distraction from the excitement that was building, knowing she'd be seeing him soon.

She pulled on an outfit that was simple, but one she knew would make him crazy, and she wondered when she became that girl. She wasn't dressing for him, of course, but she'd never really been one to care. She thought that maybe, since she knew he wouldn't really care what she wore, she put in more effort. It may not have made any sense, but not much between them did. There was just a connection there that neither had spoken about. They didn't need to put it into words because it was just there and it was strong, and it was no doubt was had drawn them - and was keeping them - together.

She scribbled a note, letting Brooke know that she'd be out for the evening, and grabbed the bag she'd packed before heading out the door.

She decided to stop at the grocery store for a bottle of wine and some fresh flowers. She'd told Nathan numerous times that he should have flowers in his house, but he'd of course scoffed and reminded her that he was a man and he didn't care about things like flowers. This time, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

She was standing with a bouquet of mixed flowers in hues of blues and greens tucked into the crook of her arm, trying to decide which bottle of wine to buy. She was debating calling Nathan and asking what he preferred.

And then she saw Lindsey, pushing a cart down the aisle towards her, hair pulled up prettily, and wedding band gleaming beneath fluorescent lights. Peyton cursed in her mind, but plastered on a smile, knowing there was no getting out of a conversation with the person she barely knew, but had wanted so badly to hate for so long.

"Lindsey," she said, surprising even herself with her chipper tone. "Hi."

"Hey Peyton," Lindsey replied, smiling genuinely.

It was as though they both realized at the same time that they'd never spent any time just the two of them since that day in the library when they'd effectively called a truce. Judging by both their attitudes at that moment, the truce still stood, it just hadn't been tested since that day nearly a year ago.

"How are you?" Peyton asked politely.

"I'm great, thanks. I just got back from a business trip, and of course, there's hardly a bite of food left in the house," she explained, rolling her eyes. She wondered if even referring to anything that had to do with Lucas was a mistake, but when Peyton laughed, her mind was put at ease.

"Of course," Peyton said with a laugh.

"So how are you? Haley said you're seeing someone," Lindsey said. She must have realized how blunt and territorial she sounded, because her eyes widened immediately and her hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry! That's none of my business."

As much as she would have liked to be angry or taken aback or annoyed at that moment, Peyton just couldn't find it in herself to care. It was as though her feelings for Nathan overshadowed everything else, and all she could do was smile.

"Lindsey, it's OK," Peyton said with a laugh, reaching to touch the woman's arm as a symbol that she shouldn't regret the question. "I am seeing someone."

"That's great," Lindsey smiled, sighing her relief that Peyton wasn't mad at her.

"And if I can decide on a wine, here, I'll be on my way to dinner at his place," Peyton said with a laugh, looking back at the shelf full of choices.

"Ah. Yes," Lindsey said, nodding as she turned her attention to the bottles. She pulled one off the shelf after a moment and handed it to Peyton. "Go for this Chardonnay."

"Really?" Peyton asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Lindsey insisted. "Most men can only cook chicken anyway, right?"

They shared a laugh, both knowing that statement was pretty close to the truth.

"Thanks," Peyton said sincerely. "I've gotta run, but um...I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, definitely," Lindsey replied, nodding.

Peyton had just started to walk away when Lindsey's voice stopped her once again.

"Hey Peyton?"

"Yeah?" she called, turning around again and waiting for whatever was to come.

"You look happy," Lindsey said, as though it was the most obvious thing she could say, but she had to point it out anyway. Peyton let out a chuckle and smiled widely.

"So do you," she said with a nod before turning and heading towards the front of the store.

They seemed to have reached a common ground, and they each wondered if maybe enough time had passed that they might become friends some day.

Peyton pulled into Nathan's garage and parked next to his SUV before letting the door slide down behind her. She was still smiling, relieved that her encounter with Lindsey had gone so well; better than she'd ever expected.

She walked into the house and made her way to the kitchen, taking just a moment to take in his form before letting him know she was there. She set the bottle on the counter and reached for the vase she knew was beneath the sink.

"Hey," he said with a smile, leaning down to kiss her before she arranged the flowers just the way she wanted them. "What took you so long?"

"I ran into Lindsey," Peyton explained as he attended to whatever he had simmering on the stove.

"With your car?" he asked, smirking at the joke she wasn't entirely sure was funny.

"At the grocery store," she elaborated. He reached for her hands and brought them up to inspect them thoroughly. "What are you doing?"

"Checking for any signs that you kicked her ass or choked the life out of her," he said with a laugh.

"Nathan," she reprimanded, tilting her head in a request for him to be serious.

"Sorry," he said genuinely, kissing the palm of her hand before she moved away from him to place the flowers in the centre of the table. "So how'd that go?"

"Surprisingly OK," she said, almost in awe. "I guess Haley told her I'm seeing someone."

"Ah," he said, nodding knowingly. "You know, Lindsey's actually a pretty great girl."

He wasn't sure what her reaction to that statement would be. He'd wanted to bring it up for a while, not knowing whether or not it would ever be appropriate to do it. He figured it was as good a time as any, seeing as she'd started the conversation and wasn't seething from the encounter.

"So I'm told," she said with a shrug.

"Babe, she's my brother's wife. I know her pretty well," he said, before realizing once again that his brother and her former boyfriend were one and the same. The look on her face was unreadable, and he wondered if he'd just blown it. "What?"

"I just kind of like when you call me 'babe'," she explained with a smile, walking towards him and wrapping her arms around him.

"I call you that all the time," he pointed out, looking at her in confusion.

"I know," she said with a shrug.

He dipped down to kiss her, then he realized that his presence in her life had everything to do with her nonchalant attitude towards Lucas' wife. The Peyton from even a month ago wouldn't be able to brush off the encounter with Lindsey that quickly.

"So you don't hate Lindsey?" he asked as he turned back to putting the finishing touches on their meal.

"I never _hated_ her," she explained, opening the bottle of wine and pouring two glasses. "I just really wanted to."

He laughed slightly as he carried their plates to the table with her following behind him. She saw that he'd made a chicken dish, and she smiled, recalling her and Lindsey's conversation.

"So now what?" he asked, watching intently as she took her first sip of wine.

He noticed early on in their new relationship that her first taste of wine always made her close her eyes momentarily and grin as she savoured the taste. She didn't even realize that she did it, and he had no intention of telling her, but it was one of his favourite things she did. One of many. It was simple and would probably go unnoticed by anyone else, but he loved it.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "Maybe we can be friends."

"That's my girl," he said with a smile.

She wasn't sure when or where or even how she became 'his' girl, but she really didn't care. She just enjoyed the little terms of endearment he bestowed upon her.

"These flowers are nice," he said, gesturing towards them with his glass before taking a sip. "Green and blue, huh?"

"Yeah. I liked them."

"If that's your story," he scoffed, making her look at him in confusion. "Come on, don't make me spell it out."

"Spell what out?" she pressed him, furrowing her brow.

"Nothing," he said quickly, shaking his head. She tilted her head and looked at him imploringly, and he knew he had to come clean. "Just...blue and green. My eyes and your eyes."

She smiled at both her subconscious choice and his observation of it.

"If it wasn't so romantic that you noticed, I'd probably make fun of you," she said, leaning forward to kiss him. Her hand found his thigh, as it was known to do, and he wondered how he'd ever gone an entire week without those touches.

----

She woke up Monday morning with his arm draped over her stomach. She was starting to think she'd never get tired of that feeling right when her eyes opened and she realized that she wasn't alone, and that the body laying next to her and holding her was his. She was growing more and more comfortable with him by the day.

She tried to move away from him so she could get ready to go to the office, but he just pulled her even closer and held her even tighter, and mumbled something incoherent in a sleepy voice. His eyes were still closed, and she whispered his name a couple times in an attempt to wake him.

"You're not going anywhere," he finally said, his voice gruff with sleep.

"I have work," she explained.

"No," he countered, just childishly enough to be adorable.

"Nathan..."

"Stay," he demanded, finally opening his eyes.

And she knew, as soon as she saw those shades of blue that were so uniquely _him_, that she in fact wasn't going anywhere. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and she noticed the smug grin of accomplishment that was on his face. She cuddled into his side and he wrapped his arms around her, encompassing her completely.

"You're lucky I have a great boss," she muttered against his chest.

"Hmm," was all he could mumble before they both drifted back to sleep.

They slept for another hour and a half, and woke up in the same position they'd fallen asleep in. It was worth it for both of them to have numb arms. Nathan watched Peyton's eyes flutter open, and he smiled lazily at her when she brought her hand to her face and wiped away the sleep. She took a deep breath and smiled back at him.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi."

"I have to go for my run," he informed her.

"You made me skip work and now you're going to leave me?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll be back in like, 45 minutes tops," he promised before kissing her forehead and standing from the bed.

She watched as he walked to his dresser in just his boxers, and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. She would have made fun of him for wearing shorts when the weather still hadn't turned warm yet, but she was far too distracted by his body as he moved.

"What?" he asked, when he noticed her staring.

"You're mean to me," she pouted. Sure, he'd get up and leave her in bed, but not before reminding her exactly what she'd be missing out on until he returned.

"How do you figure?" he laughed, pulling the fabric of his tee shirt over his body.

"You really have no clue how sexy you are, do you?" she asked, turning on her side and propping herself up on her elbow.

"Sure I do," he said with a shrug before sitting next to her.

"Humble, Nate," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, you keep _telling_ me how sexy I am," he pointed out. She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off with a kiss. "I'll be back."

She nodded and watched him leave the room, grabbing his iPod on the way out. She lay there for a while, thinking that maybe she didn't want to leave. At all. Ever. But instead of staying in his bed until he returned, she decided she needed coffee, so she got up and pulled on one of his sweatshirts to wear with the sleep shorts she'd been wearing with nothing else.

She ventured down the stairs and took a moment to look out the window above his sink. It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was shining, and every so often, another jogger would sprint down the beach. She loved this spot; this house. She made her coffee and retrieved the newspaper from his front step, and settled herself at his kitchen table to read the headlines.

Nearly a half hour later, the phone rang, startling her and reminding her that there was, in fact, a world outside his home. She looked out the window and saw that he was nowhere in sight. She knew that answering his phone was completely out of the question, since no one knew that the two of them were together. But that didn't stop her from walking to the phone and checking call display casually.

It wasn't Haley, or Lucas, or any of their other friends. The name that flashed across the screen was one she didn't know. Alexis.

She didn't know if she should answer. She needed to hear this woman's voice, but she definitely didn't want to invade his space. But then, she thought, had Nathan not changed? Maybe he wasn't ready for the kind of relationship she wanted with him. Maybe he needed to be a bachelor for a while, or at least wanted to be one. But nothing that had happened between them had indicated that he didn't want to be with her completely. That, however, didn't stop her from getting that familiar feeling in her stomach like she used to as a teenager, telling her she had a lot more to worry about than simply who this woman was; she had to worry about what he was doing with her.

After three rings, and Peyton's mind racing in all different directions, the answering machine picked up and the voice filled the room.

"Hi Nathan, it's Alexis. Give me a call. You have my number."

Peyton immediately hated this woman. She sounded about 21 and spoke with a sickeningly sweet voice. She was no doubt some girl who'd remembered Nathan from his playing days and he just couldn't resist that boost for his ego.

She steamed, sitting at the table in his kitchen as she waited for him to get back from his run. She was livid. She may have turned a blind eye to this kind of thing as a teenager, but she certainly wouldn't do it now. She'd contemplated just leaving. She would have, if she didn't want to scream at him for treating her like some disposable item that he could just trade in when he got tired of it.

He stepped into the house with his breathing ragged and his sweat-dampened shirt sticking to his torso. He leaned down to kissed her temple, knowing that she always pretended to hate when he did it while sweating so much, but that she actually relished that little routine between them.

But this time, she pulled away before he could make contact, and he knew something was wrong. He opened his mouth to ask, but she spoke before he could.

"Who's Alexis?" she asked stoically.

She watched as he walked in front of her and furrowed his brow, trying to think of the answer before it dawned on him. He sat across from her and started shaking his head. She took it as a sign that he had no explanation or excuse.

"Peyton..." he started.

"Dammit Nathan!" she shouted, interrupting him. "If you wanted to be with someone else, you should have just told me. Because I was under the impression that I was the only person you were sleeping with. No. You know what? I was under the impression that I was _more_ than just some person you were sleeping with. But clearly, you haven't changed at all."

"Peyton!" he said, raising his voice slightly to get her attention. "I'm not sleeping with someone else! But thanks for having so little faith in me."

"What do you expect me to think? Some random girl named Alexis has your home phone number. Just seems like vintage Nathan Scott to me!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air.

Now he was angry. He'd just told her that he wasn't with anyone else, and she was clearly making up her own story without listening to his. It was all too familiar to him. Different woman, same scenario. After he'd told her the truth about what had happened to cause his and Haley's divorce, he thought that maybe she'd understood him just a little better than her current behavior was indicating.

She stood from her seat quickly to move past him, but he planted his body in front of hers to keep her from stalking out of the room.

"Move," she demanded coldly.

"No," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Nathan, I swear..." she threatened, shaking her head.

"Alexis is my old agent's assistant," he explained. He couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice, nor did he want to. She'd just accused him of cheating on her, though they hadn't defined the parameters of their relationship. He didn't take that lightly.

She couldn't say anything. She wasn't a jealous woman, but she'd just gone into crazy girlfriend mode, and she wasn't even sure she was his girlfriend. She'd brought up old ghosts from the past. She knew they needed to talk about their prior relationship, but she hadn't wanted it to be brought up this way. She was sure that she'd just messed everything up, and any hopes she'd had about their budding relationship would certainly not come to fruition now.

"I'm not sleeping with anyone else," he repeated. She hung her head, and he could tell how badly she felt for accusing him of that horrible act. "But it's good to know you don't trust me."

"Nathan..."

"I'm _not_ that guy anymore, Peyton," he insisted. She looked up at him and he could see the remorse on her face. But it didn't make him feel that much better. "And just because I'm not with Haley doesn't mean that I'm going to go back to being who I was before her."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She reached out to touch his arm, but he pulled away. That simple move stung more than anything else. "Nate, I'm sorry."

"OK," he said. There was no emotion in his voice.

"I just don't want to share you," she admitted softly. She'd shared him before, usually unknowingly, but she wouldn't do that again. She felt horrible for accusing him, but she knew that if nothing else, this would get some of the issues they'd been avoiding out into the open.

"You're not," he said, his tone matching hers. "And I'm kind of pissed that you even thought I'd do that."

"Come on," she pleaded. "We have this sordid history that involved probably a lot more girls than I even knew about, and we haven't talked about any of this."

"Any of what?" he asked.

He purposely ignored the part about their previous relationship, because he knew it was true. He had been horrible to her, and it hurt to even think about that. It hadn't taken him long after their initial breakup to realize how much wrong he'd done by her; it still remained one of his life's biggest regrets.

"This!" she said, gesturing to the space between them with her hand. She stepped backward and lifted herself so she was sitting on the table in his kitchen. He stayed put, despite wanting so badly to stand between her legs and kiss away all her concerns.

"Do we really need to talk about it like we're high school kids?" he asked desperately. "Why can't we just do what we want and take it as it comes?"

"Because I can't do that," she insisted vehemently. "I'm a girl, dammit. This is what we do!"

He had to smirk. She still had the ability to take a tense argument and somehow make it playful, if only for a moment. They could share a grin or a smile, or he'd see her eyes sparkle for just a second before the tension mounted again. But it was those moments that kept them from strangling the life out of each other, he was sure. They were both headstrong and stubborn, and he was convinced that they simply wouldn't be able to even speak to each other at all if they didn't know how to break that palpable tension somehow.

"Well what do you want?" he asked. His eyes met hers, and he noticed hers flash vulnerability for a split second before she retreated behind her stoic facade once again.

"I want to not have to worry about girls named Alexis," she said with a raised brow and a tilted head. It was a less direct - and less scary - way of saying that she wanted them to be 'exclusive'.

"OK. No girls named Alexis," he teased with a smirk. The glare she shot him let him know that those were exactly the wrong words. He made a mental note to leave the tension breaking to her.

"Nathan..."

"I know," he said quickly, interrupting her. He walked towards her and forced her legs apart so they were on either side of him. His hands rested on her thighs, but his eyes wouldn't meet hers. "I'm not with anyone else, and I don't want to be. I wouldn't do that to you."

"Good," she whispered, simultaneously sighing her relief.

"But I need you to trust me, Peyton," he pleaded. "It hurts that you even thought I was capable of sneaking around on you."

"You've done it before," she said quietly.

His eyes raised to look at her again, and he knew she was right. She had reason to worry, given their history, and her history with men in general. Lucas, for all intents and purposes, could be branded a cheater. Of course, he had always made her the other woman, and she was the only one who he hadn't stepped out on, but even so, it was always there. Nathan was aware he was to blame for her concerns, but he hadn't been the guy she'd previously dated in so long, and he knew that even if the opportunity arose he wouldn't take it. There was a voice in the back of his head - and his heart - that was telling him not to lose her again. And it was getting louder and louder.

"But I won't do it again," he promised.

And she believed him. She realized then that maybe she'd never really thought he was seeing someone else, but that she needed that as a vehicle - albeit extreme - to bring up their relationship status. She could have, and probably should have, just asked, but in a strange way, she felt that this was actually more convincing; more true. More _them_.

This was what they did. They argued and bickered and made up and kissed away each others' worries. But they had grown, and this conversation/argument was filled with more words, and those words were more sincere than the ones they'd used as teenagers. She wasn't just trying to vent her frustrations with the world at him, and he wasn't trying to placate her just enough so she'd let him spend the night.

He saw her lips curl into a smile and he knew it was over and she understood and believed what he was saying. He slid her closer so her body was pressed to his, and captured her lips in a kiss that left her face flushed and her breathing ragged.

He pulled away from her and tugged his tee shirt off before pushing her back so she was laying on the table. His hands traveled up her torso beneath the cotton of the old sweater of his she was wearing, and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a slight laugh as his lips moved to the hinge of her jaw.

"This is the best part," he said, his voice gravelly and far more seductive than she suspected he knew.

"What?" she chuckled. She couldn't stop her hands from caressing the bare skin of his back. She was a sucker for that particular part of his body, and he knew it.

"Making up," he said, pulling away to look into her eyes as the cocky smirk came to his face. "You're sexy when you yell."

She laughed even louder and he went back to work on her neck, turning her laughter into a moan as he did so. His hand slid even further beneath the sweater to find that she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"You're killing me, Peyton," he muttered, dropping his head to her shoulder.

"Don't die just yet, baby," she growled in his ear as she reached for the waistband of his shorts.

Yeah, maybe arguing wasn't so horrible after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I feel the need to point something out, just as a clarification. The title of this fic is NOT the Christina Aguilera song. I think that song is pretty much trash (no offense if you like it, I just don't...). Keeps Getting Better is a song by a singer/songwriter from Nashville named Josh Hoge (Will's brother), who is absolutely incredible. I saw him live a couple weeks back with Marc Broussard (one of my all time fave musicians) and he's just amazing.

I was writing this fic and listening to his album, _Everything She Was_, and the song just seemed perfect. There's a line in the chorus that I think fits NP perfectly. "If we can keep this thing together, all this heat could burn for the rest of our lives."

Anyway, I'm a total music nut, and I had to clarify. Long author's note, but I'm just passionate about this kind of stuff, and I can't have people thinking I listen to Christina....I just can't. Now, on to the story!

**----**

They'd spent the rest of Monday in bed. They stayed there until dinner time, then showered together and grabbed takeout before heading to her office. She'd told him that since he'd been her distraction all day, that he could help her with a few things at work so her Tuesday wouldn't be insane. She actually kind of loved those moments with him in her office. He was interested in her work and eager to help out, especially if it meant more time with her.

He'd somehow convinced her to go back to his house again, though it hadn't taken much to persuade her. She had every intention of leaving and spending the night at her own place, but he had other plans, and he was sure she'd figure that out soon enough.

They stood in his kitchen, leaning against opposite counters and talking to each other like they hadn't just spent their entire day together.

"You know why I like you?" she asked suddenly, tilting her head and smiling sweetly.

"Because I'm funny and sexy and great in bed?" he ventured. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, though she secretly loved that confidence about him.

"I'm serious," she insisted.

"So am I," he said slyly, wiggling his eyebrows. She shot him a look and he dropped the joking tone. "What?"

"I like that you don't bore me. I've known you over half my life and I never get sick of you," she explained.

"Aww honey," he said sarcastically, making her laugh when she realized that the sentiment didn't come out quite as nicely as she'd intended it to.

"I just mean that out of everyone I know, you're the one person I feel like I could spend every day with and still want to be around," she elaborated. She looked up to see the crooked smile playing on his lips as he walked towards her, leaning down to kiss her.

They stayed like that for a while; lips and hands roaming, before she caught sight of the time and realized she had to get going. He'd just pressed his lips to hers again when she pulled away.

"Brooke," she muttered, making him groan his annoyance. "I should go."

She went to move away from him, but his arms on either side of her pinned her in place.

"Can you please stop worrying about what Brooke thinks?" he asked in frustration.

"She's my best friend! She's _Haley's_ best friend," Peyton pointed out. "I can't just ignore that she knows something's going on and is practically on her knees, begging for the details."

"So?" he said, narrowing his eyes and shrugging his shoulders. "It just sucks that every time I kiss you, you say someone else's name."

She tilted her head at his exaggeration as she looked at him before it dawned on her that he was right, at least partially.

"God, I sound like a girl," he muttered.

"Complaining that all my attention isn't on you all the time?" she asked, tugging on his shirt and pulling him toward her. "Sounds like just about every man I've ever met."

"Very funny," he said, looking down at her as he wrapped his arms around her.

He wanted to spend time alone with her, without worrying about someone stopping by his house, or who might see them together or what would happen if other people found out they were seeing one another. He wanted to hold her hand as they walked down the street, and kiss her without worrying about witnesses. He had planned on heading to Duke to watch one of their games, and Lucas was supposed to join him, but cancelled because he had to go to Lindsey's sister's birthday party in New York and wouldn't be back until late on Saturday night.

"Come away with me this weekend," he said abruptly.

"What?" she asked with a grin.

"I'm just going up to see the Duke game. Come with me," he repeated. "You can tell Brooke you have to go out of town for work, and come with me instead."

"You make a strong case. Very convincing," she teased, looking up at him with a raised brow.

"We could stay at a hotel, drive there together, walk down the street without caring who sees us..." He rattled off the reasons for her to join him, though he thought it should be a no brainer. The smirk on her lips told him she thought it was, too, but she just wanted to torture him by making him wait for a response.

"I suppose that wouldn't be horrible," she said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"So you'll come?" he asked excitedly. She had to smile at his boyish enthusiasm.

"Yes. Fine, I'll come with you," she nodded.

"This is going to be awesome," he all but shouted, pulling away from her. He began to pace in front of her, and she could see the anticipation on his face. "We can go up on Friday afternoon, grab dinner, hang out at the hotel. We'll have to get you a Duke tee shirt..."

"Wait. Why do I need a Duke shirt?" she asked confusedly.

"Because you're my girlfriend," he smiled. He'd said it as though that was an obvious reason she should have already known; like any girlfriend of his had to look the part.

"Girlfriend?" she asked.

"Well...yeah," he said in shock. He wondered if he'd just jumped to a huge conclusion.

"I like how that sounds," she said with a grin, and he shook his head and resumed his pacing.

"Then we'll go to the game, Duke will win, and we can have our own private celebration back in our room," he said with a cocky smile.

"OK, should I be taking notes?" she teased, wrapping her arms around him to stop him from wearing a hole in the floor.

"Oh come on. Hot girl and a basketball game? That's like, a fantasy of mine," he said, smirking to let her know that it was true. She laughed until she realized he wasn't joking.

"Well, I'm sure you have a tee shirt I could slip into. And you know? These jeans just got really uncomfortable, so I might just take them off. Isn't there a game on T.V. tonight?" she said seductively, watching as he took a deep breath and swallowed slowly.

"You are incredible," he whispered before leaning down to kiss her. He pulled away quickly and pushed her towards the stairs.

"What's this?" she asked curiously.

"Second drawer, on the left, there's my favourite Duke shirt. I'm going to grab a couple beers. And channel...318, there should be a game starting in about 15 minutes," he said with a smile as he checked his watch.

"Wow. You've really thought this out, haven't you?" she chuckled, starting up the stairs.

"I told you. It's a fantasy," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

She thought again about how it felt to be called his girlfriend. It had been so long since she'd been anyone's anything, but the fact that it was Nathan giving her the title felt even better. She was really loving spending time with him, and a part of her wondered how she'd gone so long without him.

She'd already changed and turned on the television, and she wondered what was taking him so long, so she headed back down the stairs. She waked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him from behind, causing him to startle slightly at the unexpected embrace. She saw that he had two beers open on the counter, and a big bowl of her favourite mint chocolate chip ice cream. She smiled as her cheek rested against his back, wondering how he'd even remembered, not to mention that he'd gone out and bought some to keep at his house.

"You remembered?" she asked softly as her hands made their way down his stomach and to the top of his jeans.

"Uh huh," he muttered, completely distracted by her hands and where they might go next.

"That's very, very sweet of you," she said, skillfully unbuttoning his pants and trailing her fingers along the flesh of his stomach beneath his shirt. She pulled her hands away, grabbed the bowl from its place on the counter, and headed back to the stairs, leaving him to wonder why she'd stopped so abruptly.

"Where are you going?" he asked, turning to watch as she walked away, her long legs stemming out beneath his faded shirt.

"Bedroom," she said with a mouthful of the sweet treat, glancing at him over her shoulder.

He laughed despite his not being so fond of the teasing. He was sure he'd get her back for that later; after all, he'd come to know every little thing that drove her crazy.

He'd forgotten how nice it was to have someone in the house with him. Just knowing there was someone else there was comforting in a way that was completely taken for granted by most. She could be in a completely different room, and he'd smile, just knowing she was perched on his bed, or pulling on his shirt, or standing on his balcony.

The more he had her there, the more he wanted to have her there.

----

Brooke and Peyton had met for lunch that Wednesday, and then Brooke had somehow managed to drag Peyton shopping before heading back to her office. The blonde would have loved to complain, but since Nathan had been her little helper one evening that week, more time was freed up during the day. The day before, she'd spent it talking to him on the phone or just listening to music and daydreaming about him. This day, it appeared that shopping would fill that time.

"So, where are you going this weekend again?" Brooke asked as they perused the lingerie store where the brunette had spent more money than Peyton could begin to imagine.

"Charleston," Peyton lied. "There are a couple bands I've been meaning to see, so I thought I'd head down there and finally check them out."

"That's cool," Brooke nodded.

She held up a skimpy red teddy she thought Peyton should get and the blonde shook her head disgustedly. They were browsing through the store, each looking for a few new things. Of course, Brooke's style was just slightly different than Peyton's.

"So is mystery boy going with you?" Brooke asked with a raised brow. "Is that why you're here looking through lace and satin?"

She'd thought about it at length, and decided that it was best not to say she'd be with him, since Nathan was also going away that weekend. Though they were, according to her, going to two separate places, she wanted to cover all the bases as best she could. She and Nathan had worked out all their plans, and they'd be leaving Friday morning to maximize the time they could spend alone away from prying eyes. She was going over to his place after he'd dropped Jamie back off at Haley's on Thursday.

"He's not," Peyton said. "But I am staying there tomorrow night."

"Will you please tell me something about him?" Brooke pleaded.

To Peyton's surprise, Brooke had been uncharacteristically good about honoring Peyton's wishes to keep the details of her 'relationship' to herself. She really wanted to tell Brooke everything, but she just couldn't yet; not enough time had passed.

She pulled a royal blue satin nightgown from the rack and tossed it at Peyton, indicating that it was a definite keeper. Peyton looked at the garment, and noticed it was the same shade as Duke's team colour. She wondered if it was incredibly cheesy to buy it for that reason alone, but remembered that this was Nathan's 'fantasy' weekend, and thought she'd play that up a bit. She knew she could have bought anything in the store, or nothing in the store, and he would have still found her irresistible; he'd told her as much.

"He's possibly _the_ sexiest man ever, and he's hilarious," Peyton admitted. "And he's very sweet."

"How sweet?" Brooke asked with a dimpled smile. Peyton had expected Brooke to ask how sexy he was or what he looked like, so she was relieved when neither of those questions were posed.

"Well, in passing, I had told him about my favourite ice cream," Peyton started.

"Breyer's mint chocolate chip," Brooke filled in. She grabbed a black nightgown with lace detail and draped it over her arm to try on.

"Yeah. Well, when I went over there the other night, he had a whole tub in his freezer. He'd bought it specially for me," Peyton said, smiling at the memory.

"Seriously?" the brunette asked. "That _is_ pretty sweet."

"Oh come on, Owen named a shot after you," Peyton teased. She held a green number up to her body and Brooke nodded her approval.

"Yeah, well that's about all he's done for me," Brooke muttered in frustration.

"What!?" Peyton asked worriedly as they made their way to the fitting rooms. "I thought things were going well."

"They have been. But lately I've just kind of felt that spark fading. I'm actually kind of surprised there's any spark left at all, after taking _so_ long to even get to this point," she said, making both of them laugh. Brooke and Owen's relationship had been a constant 'one step forward, two steps back' situation. "I mean, he's great, but I just feel like there might be someone better out there for me, as bad as that is to say."

"Brooke, there's nothing bad about that. If you aren't into it, you can't really fake it for much longer," Peyton explained supportively through the wall as she pulled on the first of the things she was trying.

"I know. And it's not like I'm faking. I do care about him, but I just don't really feel like it's going to go much further than where it is right now. OK, you have to see this. And you need to buy it, too. It's fabulous."

Peyton opened the curtain and she was wearing the blue item Brooke had chosen, and then peered into Brooke's dressing room.

"Oh my God!" Brooke exclaimed. "That colour is amazing. You are getting that."

"I am," Peyton smiled. "And yours is just a little...well...sluttier than mine."

"Shut up! This is hot and you know it. Mystery man will love it," Brooke said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

It was a white corset with hook and eye fasteners down the front, and matching bottoms with lace detail around the legs and around the bust of the top. Peyton just shook her head, knowing full well Nathan would lose his mind if he saw her in something like that.

"You're crazy," Peyton said, shaking her head.

"That wasn't a no! You're buying it!" Brooke squealed.

"OK, matching lingerie, Brooke? That's a little creepy, even for us," Peyton laughed as she went back into her own fitting room.

They tried on the rest of their items and emerged at the same time, and each had a few things in her arms to purchase. On their way to the register, Peyton noticed a pair of boy cut underwear with Duke's logo emblazoned on them, and she picked them up while a smirk broke on her lips.

"Seriously?" Brooke asked skeptically.

"Um..." Peyton stuttered. "It's a joke. For Nathan."

As soon as she said it, she wondered why she had. Why even say his name? Why hadn't she come back later alone and bought them then? She had dug herself a bit of a hole, but she knew she could get herself out of it believably. At least she hoped she could.

"You're going to have to explain," Brooke said with a furrowed brow.

"We were talking the other day. He's got this weird basketball fantasy scenario in his head," Peyton explained, trying to brush off the comment casually by waving her hand.

"And just why were you and Nathan talking about fantasies?" Brooke asked with a quirky grin on her face.

"It was just a random conversation. He's going to the game this weekend, and we got to talking about it," Peyton said quickly. "Anyway, it's nothing."

"Peyton, you're buying him _panties_," Brooke pointed out with a laugh.

"It's a joke!" Peyton cried, a little too defensively.

"You two have been hanging out a lot lately." Brooke had just pulled out her credit card and handed it to the clerk and turned back to Peyton, expecting an explanation.

"Yeah. I guess we just kind of found our friendship again. I know it's kind of weird with the whole Haley situation, but he's kind of felt cut off from everyone," Peyton said.

It wasn't a lie. He'd felt, just as they all had, everything shift once he and Haley had separated. Group functions no longer included the entire group, and he felt as though all their friendships were suffering. He'd admitted to Peyton that he felt guilty for tearing everything apart, though she assured him that it wasn't his fault and that everyone's situations had changed in the year prior.

"Well that's kind of cool," Brooke nodded. "I know Luke was kind of worried about him, too." The brunette realized she'd said the name that wasn't to be spoken unless it was brought up by Peyton. "Sorry."

"Brooke," Peyton laughed. "It's fine. I'm over it."

Though she'd told Brooke time and time again that hearing about or seeing Lucas didn't bother her any more, the brunette still felt like she needed to tread lightly on the subject of the brooding ex. The more Brooke heard statements like those, though, the more she wondered if just maybe it was the truth.

"Well, he was just saying that Nathan's been totally different lately. Like, kind of...happier or something," Brooke explained.

"Really?" Peyton asked with interest.

"Yeah. Luke didn't know why, but he didn't want to ask questions. You know guys, they don't like people prying. I guess the past month or so, Nathan's been himself again."

Knowing that timeline fit in with her and Nathan's relationship made Peyton smile. She had worried that he hadn't taken as much from being together as she had, and thought that maybe while she was completely over Lucas, he wasn't quite over his divorce. She hadn't necessarily noticed the change in his behaviour, but she hadn't spent as much time with him as Lucas had in the months since his divorce leading up to the beginning of their relationship.

"Look, this kind of took longer than I'd expected, not that I'm complaining," Brooke started. "But I really should get back to the shop before Milli goes crazy."

"Oh!" Peyton said, checking the time. "Yeah. Go ahead. I'll see you later for happy hour."

"OK. And good choices, by the way," Brooke said with a wink, making Peyton roll her eyes.

She watched as Brooke hurried out of the store and down the street towards her own boutique. Such a big part of her wanted to tell Brooke everything that had been going on with her. That Nathan was the reason she was so completely over Lucas, and that he was the one making her smile and that he was taking her away for the weekend. But she and Nathan hadn't really talked about telling anyone yet, and she still wasn't sure what reactions their relationship would get from their friends.

Peyton had just stepped out onto the sidewalk when she heard her name called from behind her. She turned around to see one of the people she and Brooke had just been talking about.

"Hey Luke," she said with a smile. That she could even look at him without her heart breaking was a new and wonderful thing.

"Hey Peyton," he replied, relieved that she had stopped to talk to him.

She watched his eyes dart to the bag she was carrying, and he raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure if it was a jealous, protective, or amused look on his face, and for once, she really didn't care.

"How's it going?" she asked, trying to take the attention away from the things she had wrapped in tissue in the bag in her hands.

"Pretty good. How are you?" he asked. She could tell he was genuinely interested.

"I'm doing great," she answered honestly.

"New guy?" he asked. He cursed himself immediately for even saying the words, but he was curious.

"Um...yeah. New-ish," she replied with a smirk. Clearly Lindsey hadn't said anything to Lucas about their encounter at the grocery store, or if she had, she hadn't mentioned what they'd spoken about.

"Good," he nodded. "I'm glad. You seem happy."

"You saw me last week, Luke," she teased, starting to walk down the street with him alongside her. They'd all gotten together at Tric for a few drinks, though Nathan had Jamie that night and hadn't been there.

"I know, but that was a group thing, and...we just never get to talk any more," he said somewhat sadly. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss her. He missed her. Of course he did.

"Yeah," she sighed. "It was just...hard for a while. You know, with everything. But it's better now."

She couldn't believe she'd said it and admitted to having a hard time with him being married, but it actually felt good to be able to talk to him and tell him that she was fine without him. It felt good to let him know that she was over it and they could be in the same town and neither of them would have to worry about the other.

"I know I haven't really checked in with you much..." he started.

"I'm kind of glad," she said, interrupting him. She noticed the confused look on his face and continued. "I mean, it would have been harder if you had come around and were worried about me. It was better this way."

He just stared at her for a moment, grinning as they walked down the street.

"What?" she asked with a laugh.

"Nothing!" he insisted. "It's just really great to see that smile of yours and be able to talk to you without the elephant in the room, you know?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "It's nice."

"Hey, I'm meeting Nathan for coffee right now. Why don't you join us?" he asked. "I mean, if you don't have to get back to being the big, important label president."

"Right," she scoffed. She checked the time again, and she technically should have gotten back to her office, considering she'd taken Monday off, and was also going to miss Friday. But she didn't have anything to do that couldn't wait. "You know what? I think I will come with you."

"Great!" he said enthusiastically.

The two of them walked the rest of the distance to the coffee shop, and chatted briefly about his next novel, and the next album she'd be distributing. She got the overwhelming feeling that just maybe they'd get a bit of their friendship back, and she couldn't have been happier. They walked into the shop and saw Nathan already sitting by the window. He looked more than just a little surprised to see his brother and Peyton together, and if she had read him correctly, maybe a little concerned.

"Hey Luke. Sawyer," he greeted them. She could only smile in return. That smile somehow told him that he had nothing to worry about.

"I'll go grab us something," Luke offered as Peyton sat down next to Nathan.

"I just ran into him," she whispered quickly. "He invited me along."

"It's OK," he laughed. "I'll probably never complain about getting to see you."

"Charmer," she teased, making him laugh. She saw him glance at the bag she'd set down next to her, and raise an eyebrow.

"Something for me?" he asked in a gravelly tone that damn near gave her goosebumps.

"Nathan!" she hissed.

"I wish I could thank Brooke for that," he teased. She narrowed her eyes questioningly, and he elaborated. "Shopping for lingerie on your lunch break? That's _all_ Brooke Davis."

Her jaw hit the floor just as Lucas returned.

"What's going on?" he laughed, noticing Peyton's expression.

"Just bugging Peyton about her nooner at the lingerie store," Nathan said with a smirk, making Lucas laugh, and Peyton's jaw drop further. "Oh come on, Sawyer, we know you have some random new guy."

"I am _so_ not having this conversation with you two," she said indignantly before taking a sip of her coffee. She wanted to hit Nathan for being so forward and putting her in that position.

"Come on, Peyt. Tell us about him," Lucas prompted. And he was jealous, at least a little bit. But he hid it because he had to.

"No!" she cried. "This is weird."

"Why?" Nathan laughed. The blush that was creeping to her cheeks was just adorable, and he knew he'd pay for this later, but he was starting to think it was worth it to see her this way.

"Because you two are...you two!"

"We're your friends, aren't we?" Nathan asked. "We need to know if this guy is good enough for you."

She looked at him pointedly, wondering why the hell he was going there in front of Lucas, of all people. She was starting to think that he was just really enjoying seeing her so flustered.

"Fine," she surrendered. "He's tall, attractive, very manly." Nathan's smile made her heart race, though she had to stop from rolling her eyes at him. "He's really good to me, and way funnier than either of you two."

"Hey!" Lucas cried.

"Dude, for the last time, you're not as funny as you think you are," Nathan said, looking at his brother.

"Whatever, man," Lucas said, brushing the comment off. "What else?"

"Well, the only thing is that he's really, _really_ terrible at basketball," she said with a fake grimace, shaking her head in disappointment. It was Nathan's turn to withhold comment.

"How bad is he?" the Lucas asked with a laugh.

"Just _awful_," she said emphatically. "I mean, it's almost embarrassing. Luke, maybe you could teach him a thing or two."

"I doubt that's necessary," Nathan said smugly, taking a drink of his coffee.

"So when are you going to introduce him to everyone?" Lucas asked. He was just a little confused, wondering when Peyton and Nathan had developed this kind of playful relationship. The kind of relationship he had with her once upon a time.

"Um...I don't know. We'll see how things go," she shrugged. It had become her standard response to anyone who asked. "Nathan, when are you going to start seeing someone?"

"I'm not sure," he said stiffly. "I guess I'll just have to wait to find the perfect person."

"But you won't date someone who isn't the _perfect_ person?" she asked with a smirk.

"She'd have to be pretty close," he said, looking straight into her eyes. She felt her stomach flutter, and turned her attention to her coffee cup instead of him.

"You really should get out there, though," Lucas said. "I mean, test the waters a bit."

"I dunno. I think I kind of like my setup as it is right now," he said simply. He nudged Peyton's knee beneath the table with his own, silently telling her that he was referring to their relationship, and not what Lucas would deduce from that statement.

"You know, I really should get back to the office," Peyton said, standing from her seat. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye, Peyton," Lucas said with a smile.

"Later, Sawyer," Nathan said, grinning as she grabbed the bag that he knew contained one or two things he'd see at a later date. For some reason, that made him feel incredible; knowing this insanely gorgeous woman had him in mind when she'd selected the items.

"She's really happy," Lucas observed, pulling his brother's attention back to him.

"Yeah, she is," Nathan smiled. "This new guy sounds like he's good for her."

As Peyton walked down the street, she sent Nathan a text message that she knew he wouldn't take seriously, and would make him laugh. When he opened his phone and saw the words _'I hate you'_ spelled out in front of him, he chuckled, knowing he'd have to stop by her office before he went home.

Nathan finished his coffee with Lucas, but nothing could take his mind off the girl who'd consumed his every second thought since they'd first gotten together. He knew he'd played a risky game, talking to her that way in front of his brother, but he was starting to wonder when they would get around to telling their friends. He knew their weekend away together would be amazing, not having to worry about who may see them together, but he knew that once they came back, he'd want more of the same. He wanted to walk along the beach with her hand in his, and have dinner at a restaurant with her without having to edit their conversations.

He walked into her office shortly after 5:00, and she glared at him playfully from behind the desk. She couldn't really be mad at him, and she was sure he knew as much, but she'd spent the rest of her afternoon wondering what she'd say to him when she saw him. And she'd decided that having a conversation in front of Lucas with undertones that he knew nothing about had actually been really fun. She'd always thought that he could read her better than anyone, but that he had no clue what was going on with her right before his eyes, made her realize that maybe that 'connection' that she'd always been so convinced was so obvious, wasn't really as strong as she'd thought.

"So what's in the bag?" he asked, stifling a laugh over the adorable scowl that was on her face.

"It'll just have to be a surprise," she said with a raised brow. She stood and perched herself on her desk as he walked around and stood in front of her.

"I guess that's not so horrible," he smirked. "I'll just have to let my imagination run wild."

"You do that, Mr. Scott," she said seductively. She knew he loved it when she called him that, though she found it a little cliché. The throaty moan he let out right before he kissed her confirmed it.

"Come on," he said after he'd pulled away. "I'll walk you out."

He'd just taken enough steps away from her that his proximity wouldn't seem suspicious, and the door slid open again. Nathan had come in before she'd had a chance to explain that both Brooke and Haley were meeting her at her office before having a few drinks.

Nathan turned towards the door and watched as his ex-wife strolled into the room. He looked back at Peyton and subtly rubbed his lips in an attempt to brush away any traces of her lip gloss.

"Hey guys," Haley greeted, her tone pleasant, as always.

"Hey Haley," he said calmly, though his heart was racing at how close they'd just come to being caught by one of the people they really didn't want to find out about them yet. "How's my boy?"

Both Haley and Peyton smiled at his question, but Peyton hid hers quickly, moving to tidy up her desk.

"He's good. He's with Luke right now," Haley explained. "I think they're at the River Court, if you wanted to see him."

"Yeah. Yeah, I might just do that," he said. He turned to Peyton and she looked up at him after feeling his gaze on her. "I'll see you later."

"Sure," she said casually. "Have fun this weekend."

"I'm sure I will," he said with a grin, glancing quickly at the bag full of things he knew he'd love, now sitting on her desk. "Bye Haley."

He walked out of the office and into the main part of the club, struggling to regain his composure. He'd be more than happy when their relationship was all out in the open, but he didn't want anyone to find out _that_ way. The secrecy had been fun at first, but now that things were getting more serious, he just wanted to stop having to worry about those kind of mishaps.

"So listen," Haley started. Peyton could tell by the look on her friend's face that there was something important she was about to say. "I kind of had to invite Lindsey. She was there when I dropped Jamie off and she asked what I was up to. She's here right now, but I totally understand if you can't stay."

"Haley," Peyton laughed, walking towards her friend and trowing her arm around her as they began towards the door. "I love you for worrying, but it's really fine."

"It is?" Haley asked skeptically.

"Yes!" Peyton insisted. "Now let's go. I need a cocktail."

They both laughed as they headed into the bar, and Haley wondered if just maybe their group could mend all their fences and become as close as they had once been, even despite their twisted histories and failed relationships.


	7. Chapter 7

Peyton showed up at Nathan's house at 10:00 on Thursday evening, and she couldn't wait to just curl up with him for the rest of the night before they left town the following morning.

She saw him sitting on the couch as she slipped off her shoes and dropped her bags. He grinned when he saw that she had a small rolling suitcase holding all the things she'd need while they were away. He couldn't wait.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said quickly before either of them had said anything else.

"Why?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"It was just kind of careless," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "It was a close call."

"I know. Crisis averted, though," she said, walking towards where he was sitting on the couch and laying down with her legs over his lap. He began massaging her feet without her even asking, and they smiled at each other, acknowledging just how comfortable it was to be sitting there like that.

"So I got an interesting call today," he said after a few moments.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, her eyes closed and her head back.

He wasn't sure which call he wanted to tell her about. Since he'd forgotten to call his agent back, his phone had rung that morning, asking if he'd want to take part in a combine that was going to be in Raleigh in two short months. It was his shot to see if he could really make it, but he hadn't yet decided what he wanted. He knew that talking to Peyton about it would help make his decision either way. She wouldn't tell him what to do, but she'd be supportive of whatever he chose. He just needed a little bit of time to think about it before bringing her into it. He wanted to share everything with her, but he wasn't sure if it was worth it if he decided not to follow through on the opportunity.

"Yeah. Lindsey called and asked if she could come by and pick up the Augustana bootleg you lent me," he said with a laugh, knowing that he wouldn't listen to the music unless he was with Peyton, and that she'd no doubt left it at his house by accident.

"Oh, right. Last night I told her you had it, but that she could borrow it," she said, finally opening her eyes to look at him.

"So you bump into each other once and you're best friends now?" he asked with a smirk.

"Shut up," she laughed. "Fresh start, right?"

He just smiled and nodded, knowing that she was right. He knew his part in her newfound acceptance of his sister-in-law. He hadn't forced anything on her, he'd just listened to her, and gently let her know that Lindsey was a nice girl worth giving a chance. He learned quickly that that was exactly what she'd needed; suggestion without expectation. She'd listened to him when he'd said the same words that everyone else had been telling her for the past year.

They went to bed shortly after she arrived, both exhausted from their respective days and wanting to be rested for a weekend that they were sure would see neither of them getting much sleep. Not if Nathan got his way.

----

"Holy shit, Sawyer, what are you doing up there?" he shouted up the stairs. He'd been waiting for a half hour, and was getting more and more impatient with every passing minute.

He'd gotten ready rather quickly, and he hadn't even packed before hand. They'd showered together, and he'd gotten dressed and thrown what he needed into a bag, all before she'd even pulled on her jeans and put on makeup and did whatever the hell else it was that was taking her so damn long.

"Calm down!" she yelled back. "Some of us actually like to look good!"

"Low blow!" he called.

"Your constant yelling isn't going to make this go any faster!"

He laughed, knowing that this was exactly what everyday life with Peyton would be like. And as much as he wanted to complain about it, he simply couldn't. Since the second week they'd been together, she started leaving a few things at his place. She had her own toothbrush, a couple items to sleep in, a change of clothes. The most recent addition was a blow dryer, and he would have loved to tease her about her collection of things growing by the day, but he liked it. He loved those little reminders that she'd be coming back.

Another five minutes passed, and he was just about to shout to her again when he heard her bounding down the stairs.

He stood for a moment, staring at her as she bent down to grab her things, slinging her purse over her shoulder. She was wearing a simple black tank top with a black knit sweater over it, and a pair of jeans he'd seen countless times before. He wasn't sure if he was trying to figure out what about that outfit had taken her so long to put together, or how she looked so good in something so simple.

"Come on," she demanded, walking towards the door that lead to the garage.

He shook his head, smiling at the fact that now _she_ was the one rushing _him_, as he grabbed his own bag before taking hers from her hand.

They settled into his SUV and she pulled a CD from her bag, holding it up for him to see.

"What's that?" he asked, kinking his brow and wondering what she was going to make him listen to this time.

"A mix I made, special for this weekend," she said with a grin. "I'll put it on in an hour."

"Why an hour?" he asked as he pulled onto the street.

"Because I said so." He knew there was no arguing with that logic, so he just laughed instead. "It's all hip hop. A bunch of your favourites," she explained, reaching for his hand and intertwining her fingers with his. He raised her hand to press a kiss to her skin, not caring who might have seen or what anyone might say.

The drive was full of laughs and all the touches between couples that they hadn't gotten to do anywhere but in his home. She rested her hand on his shoulder as he drove, and he'd steal glances at her when he wanted to see her reaction to the things he said.

The last song on her CD was different than the rest, and he had to question its inclusion.

"OK Sawyer," he said, shaking his head slightly at the nostalgia. "D'Angelo?"

_Untitled (How Does it Feel)_ was flowing through the car, and they were both aware that it was maybe far too sensual a song for them to be listening to that early in the day while they were trying to get somewhere alive. But she loved that song, though she'd never really admitted it to anyone else.

"It's a good song," she said with a shrug. He was getting really good at reading her, and he sensed there was more that she wasn't telling him.

"Explain," he insisted. He wasn't letting her get away with not telling him the whole story, though he believed he knew it already.

"I just think this is a really sexy song," she said nonchalantly, feathering her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. "And for some reason, it's always kind of reminded me of you."

He did his best to ignore the distraction of her hand in his hair to think of just what that statement meant. She'd _always_ thought about him. In some way or another, he'd been on her mind, even though they'd been apart and with other people and separated by distance and _life_. She'd hear that song and her mind would go back to being 17 and wondering if he was the one for her.

"For some reason?" he scoffed. "Peyton, _Voodoo_ was the only album I owned that you'd actually let me play when you were with me."

"That's not true!" she cried indignantly. He took his eyes off the road briefly to look at her pointedly. "OK, maybe it's true."

He laughed at her then, before taking her hand in his again. "I still have that album."

"We should listen to it sometime," she said seductively, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Lucky for them both, they'd just pulled into the parking lot of their hotel. He was sure that any more of those actions from her would have him either pulling over, or running the car off the road. She had an effect on him like no one else.

They checked into their room and she opened the door with the keycard while he carried their bags. He'd gone all out, and she turned around to look at him, shaking her head and letting him know that it was all too much. The king sized bed did nothing to make the room feel small. Lush linens and pillows covered the bed, and there was a mini bar with a glass door, and she could see a bottle of champagne chilling that she knew he'd taken at an extra cost.

"Nathan..." she started.

"Shut up, Sawyer," he demanded playfully, walking towards her and pulling her close to him. He brushed a piece of hair away from her face and looked into her eyes. "I want this to be amazing."

"Baby, we could have stayed at Tom's Motor Inn and it would have been amazing," she pointed out.

"Liar," he said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes and leaned up to kiss him quickly before taking his hand and leading him to the bed, pulling him on top of her as she laid down. They stayed like that for a while, kissing like teenagers, both of them knowing that there was more to do outside those four walls, but wanting to feel each other just for a little bit.

When they finally left their hotel room and ventured out into daylight again, they started down the street and towards the stores they'd seen on the drive into down. She was a pace ahead of him when she felt him take her hand in his. She smiled up at him as they strolled down the street, both relishing in the ability to act that way without worrying about someone seeing them.

They'd browsed through a few stores and stopped for a light lunch, and they were just beginning to walk towards the campus of the school he'd always dreamed of attending, when they were interrupted, and his heart wrenched inside his chest. It was a rare moment during their day when they weren't making some sort of physical contact

"Nathan Scott," a voice called out from behind them.

Peyton shot Nathan a look before they turned around, letting him know that whatever was about to happen, everything would work out. They spun around as slowly as their nerves would allow, and Peyton was relieved when she didn't recognize the face of the person smiling at Nathan.

"Rob!" Nathan said happily, moving towards the man and shaking hands before they pulled each other into a manly hug.

Peyton noticed a petite brunette woman at this stranger's side, and she offered a polite smile as they waited for introductions.

"It's so good to see you, man," Rob said, patting Nathan on the shoulder. "This is my fiancée, Julie. Jules, Nathan and I had a few classes together at Maryland."

Nathan shook the woman's hand before turning to Peyton again.

"This is my girlfriend, Peyton," he explained with a smile, happy that he was able to introduce her with that title. The way she wrapped her arm around his waist after shaking hands with the people in front of them told him that she had appreciated it as much as he had.

"I never thought I'd see you here," Rob said, shaking his head. "How's that boy of yours?"

Peyton deduced from that statement that either Rob could read situations very quickly, or that he and Nathan had kept in touch enough to know about the divorce.

"He's good. Getting bigger all the time," Nathan explained with a laugh. Peyton noted, just as she always did, the tone he used when speaking of his son. For reasons she could not explain, it always made her heart swell. "You in town for the game?"

"No," Rob said, looking to his fiancée in (mostly) mock disappointment.

"Antiquing," she filled in. "I figure we go to enough games as it is. The least he can do is give me one weekend to search for pre-war oak furniture."

They all laughed for another moment, exchanging pleasantries, before they said their goodbyes and their 'nice to meet yous', and Nathan made the promise to call Rob the next time he was in Charleston.

Nathan leaned down to kiss Peyton quickly before draping his arm around her shoulder and they continued walking. Neither had said a word for a few minutes, as though neither wanted to ruin the moment. Peyton's next statement certainly didn't.

"I like being your girlfriend," she said. To her, it sounded adolescent as soon as it had left her lips, but the sparkle of his blue eyes right before he kissed her again told her that it was the perfect thing to say.

"Well, you're good at it," he assured her, watching as she smiled and wrapped both arms around his waist.

They walked around the campus and she took in all the buildings she'd only seen a couple times before. She'd visited as a young teenager, still unsure of her future plans. She hadn't taken the time - hadn't realized that she should - to appreciate the architecture and ambiance of the place.

"It's beautiful here," she said wistfully as they made their way across the lawn. They'd just gotten her a shirt to wear to the game the following day, which of course, he'd chosen for her. They were heading back to the hotel to get ready before going to dinner at a restaurant that was a secret to her, but he knew she'd love.

"Yeah, it's nice," he agreed. She sensed from his tone that there was something he wasn't saying, and it didn't take her long to figure out what it was.

For as long as she'd known him - as long as she could remember - he'd wanted to be a Duke Blue Devil. He'd of course been happy with the way his college playing career had gone, but she knew he'd always harbour some regret over blowing his shot at attending this school and donning its uniform.

"If you could go back and change it, would you?" she inquired, knowing he'd hear exactly what she was asking.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "I think if I was going to change anything, it'd be getting thrown through a window."

His attempt at humour didn't have its desired effect. She knew he did this; he'd make jokes and try to deflect the issues he needed to talk about. She wasn't going to let him get away with it, and one look at her told him as much.

"Duke was always what my dad wanted for me," he explained. "I guess somewhere along the way it became my dream just as much as it was his. And after he went to prison, it was easier to let it go, because I didn't want anything to tie me to him any more." She rubbed his arm comfortingly, and it washed away any apprehension he had about opening up to her about this. "And if it hadn't been for my accident, I would have played in the NBA, and everything would have gone according to plan. I still would have gotten exactly what I wanted."

That was when he realized that it was still his dream. He'd tried to convince himself that helping coach the Ravens and working out on the River Court would be enough for him, but he knew deep down that it wouldn't be. He just wondered if too much time had passed, and if he could still play at the level he knew he'd have to to even get a second look from any scouts.

"I didn't tell you yesterday, but my agent called again," he said, stopping to sit on a bench and pulling her hand so she'd join him. This was a sit down conversation. "I got invited to a combine. I guess some team heard that I was still playing and put me on their list."

"Nathan! That's amazing!" she said, her whole face lighting up as he told her his news. "Wait, what's a combine?"

"Basically, it's like an evaluation camp. A bunch of scouts will be there, and they invite players who haven't been drafted. They have you do a bunch of drills and tests to see if you're good enough to play, and about two weeks later, you either start getting calls or you don't," he explained.

"Well, you're going, right?" she asked excitedly. "I mean, you have to go."

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"Nathan," she said softly, taking his hand in hers again. "This is your shot."

"Maybe. Or maybe it's the day I realize that I don't have a future in basketball," he said sadly. She could see the conflict in his eyes. She reached out and feathered her fingers through his hair.

"But if you don't go, you'll always wonder what would have happened if you did," she explained gently. "You don't want to live with that what if."

He smiled at her, knowing that on some level, she was right. But his doubts came back almost as quickly as they'd left.

"But I'm out of shape, and I'm not the player I used to be," he said, shaking his head.

"Yeah," she scoffed, eying his upper body and feeling his bicep subtly through his jacket. "You've really let yourself go." He smiled at the sarcasm and wove his fingers together with hers. "You know I'm not going to tell you what to do. I just think you'll regret it if you don't go."

"But I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't work out," he admitted softly.

He hadn't yet spoken those words to anyone. Ever. Not making it had never been an option before his accident, but now it was a very real one. Something about Peyton and the candid way she spoke to him made him feel completely comfortable letting her in on his secrets.

"You'll be _fine_," she insisted adamantly. "You'll have the Ravens. You'll have a beautiful son and great friends and a house on the beach."

He sighed deeply and looked up at her again to see her smiling face. She really believed in him. _Really_ believed in him. And not just about basketball. She knew that whatever he did, he'd be OK as long as he could realize that the game wasn't everything. No matter what, he'd be alright, whether he made a team somewhere, or if he never played again.

"Will I have you?" he asked with a smirk. She laughed and leaned forward to kiss him.

"Either way," she promised, resting her forehead against his.

And there was that voice in the back of his head again, telling him that he'd be a fool if he ever let her get away. And an even stronger feeling in his heart, telling him that he felt much more for her than he'd expected to feel.

----

They spent all of Saturday morning in their hotel room, making use of as little of the king sized bed as possible, since they were cuddled together as closely as they could be. He ordered them room service, and she conned him into being the one to get up to answer the door. Truthfully, all she had to do was ask. They ate breakfast in bed and he asked her why women spend so much on lingerie when it doesn't stay on for long anyway. He gestured to the satin item on the floor as he spoke, and she swatted his chest, saying that if he was going to complain, she could always just forget about the things she was going to show him later that night. Of course, he conceded, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he wanted to see her in whatever she'd brought.

When they finally managed to get themselves out of bed, he waited and watched as she got ready, taking in all the subtleties about her that he'd come to love. Simple, silly things that she probably didn't even know she did. He lay in the bed in just his boxers staring at her with a smirk as she pulled her new tee shirt over her head.

"OK, I've already had a stalker, so I don't need you to turn into one," she teased, looking at him with a smile.

"I just like watching you," he shrugged.

She climbed back on top of the sheets and settled herself on top of him, straddling him as he lay there. This was another one of those things he loved about her. She'd sit on his lap like that, with her knees on either side of him, looking down at him with her hair falling around her face. He would never complain.

"It's a little creepy, babe," she said, running her hands over his bare skin. She wondered how she'd found someone so damn sexy.

"You love it," he countered. He moved to sit up so he could kiss her, but she wouldn't let him. He knew he was definitely strong enough that her arms wouldn't hold him in place if he didn't want them to, but he not-so-secretly loved that side of her.

"You need to get ready," she informed him sternly, letting him know that there would be no more kissing until he was showered and dressed.

"Then you need to get off me," he said.

"I like being the boss," she said with a shrug, explaining though he hadn't asked, why she'd taken that position.

"Peyton," he laughed. "When are you ever _not_ the boss?"

"Shut up!" she cried indignantly. "You wouldn't let me push you around if you didn't like it."

She leaned down and her body on his created friction in all the right places. He stifled a moan, though he knew he didn't have to, and her lips were on his before he could make fun of her for doing the one thing she'd told him he couldn't. When she pulled away, she rolled off him and stood next to the bed with a hand on her hip.

"Let's go, Scott," she commanded, nodding towards the bathroom.

"You are so mean," he muttered, making her smile as he got out of the bed.

He swatted her ass as he walked past her, making her squeal and a smug smirk come to his face as they turned to face each other.

"What was that?" she asked with a laugh.

"Pre-game ritual, baby," he said in a gravelly tone.

"You aren't even playing!"

"Maybe I just wanted to touch your ass," he said, smiling widely as he said the words. She cocked one eyebrow and looked at him pointedly.

"All you had to do was ask," she said playfully, making him snicker again as he walked backwards into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

While he showered, Peyton grabbed her phone, intending to dial Brooke to check in, as she'd promised to do. She saw that she had a text message and when she opened it, she was only a little surprised at what it read.

_'Ended things with O. Don't worry about me. Have ice cream, will heal. See you Sunday.'_

She laughed as she read, despite the knowledge that her best friend had just broken up with her boyfriend. They'd both seen it coming, since that day earlier in the week when Brooke had explained that she wasn't entirely happy with him anymore. It didn't stop Peyton from wondering what was the final straw.

Nathan stepped out of the bathroom in just a towel and noticed immediately that her demeanor had changed completely since he'd last looked at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She was distracted by the sight of him, but still managed to answer his question.

"Brooke and Owen broke up," she explained. "She says she's fine, but I'm worried."

"Oh," he said, sitting next to her at the end of the bed. He pulled her close to him and pressed a kiss to her hair. "She'll be alright. She's Brooke."

She was reminded of one of her favourite lines in one of her favourite movies, _When Harry Met Sally_. She and Nathan had watched it together a couple weeks earlier, and she could picture the scene vividly in her head. _Promise me I'll never have to be out there again._ She knew it was too early and probably inappropriate to say anything, so she didn't. She just thought of their relationship and the subtle promises they were making to each other as they went along.

It had started with them both assuring that they weren't using each other. Then confirmation that they 'liked' each other. After that it went to him vowing that he wasn't seeing anyone else, and didn't want to. Then he called her his girlfriend. Then she promised she'd be there for him whether he ever played basketball again or not.

She was starting to realize that this was the most healthy relationship she'd ever been in.

----

Their evening went perfectly. Duke won, making Nathan even happier to have taken her to the game with him. Even if his team had lost, he still would have been thrilled to just sit next to her and hear her cheer for the boys in the blue uniforms.

The energy in the town was palpable after the win, and they received high fives from frat boys and senior citizens alike. Peyton had missed his playing days, but realized his life must have been like that once upon a time. He would have been the star player, getting attention from people everywhere he went, and having young boys look up to him. Team followers would have known his stats and his adversaries would have feared playing against him, knowing he was near unstoppable. She wished she could have been there.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, pulling her closer to him when he noticed her shiver.

"You," she admitted with a smile.

"Oh. Well, I'll leave you to it then," he joked, making her shake her head at him.

"Honestly, Nathan," she started. "Is it even possible for your ego to get any bigger?"

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "So really, what were you thinking?" She swatted his chest, thinking he just wanted her to sing his praises, but the look he gave her told her he was actually just curious to know what was going on in her head.

"I was just thinking that I missed all your playing days," she said softly. For some reason, she felt guilty, though she knew she had no reason to.

"Not all of them," he countered, referring to his high school career.

"I guess," she nodded. "I just wish I could have seen you in your prime."

"What makes you think I'm past my prime?" he asked, slightly offended, but not wanting to show that too much.

"OK, 24 hours ago you were worried about not being good enough, and now you're Mr. Confident again?" she teased.

"I've just been thinking about it," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I have two months to get ready for the combine. I'm gonna do it, Peyton."

She stopped in her tracks and practically jumped into his arms, making him laugh as he struggled to keep his balance.

"Nathan! What made you change your mind?" she asked excitedly.

"You did," he said, as though it was the only and obvious answer.

She smiled at him and kissed him in a way that she wouldn't have ever guessed she would have with so many people around. They got cheers from drunk college students as they stood there, kissing in the night air.

"Not so subtle," he whispered breathlessly after they'd parted. He took a brief look around to see the stares they were getting.

"Don't care," she insisted, making him chuckle. "I'm so proud of you, baby."

"I haven't even done anything yet," he reminded her as he took her hand and resumed walking.

"You made the decision. And now you're going to work your ass off, Nathan Scott style, and you're going to impress whoever it is that you need to impress," she declared. "And I'm going to watch you do it."

"Sounds kinky," he said, wiggling his eyebrows and making her roll her eyes, as he was getting so used to seeing.

Her confidence in him, however, made his heart swell for reasons he wanted to ignore, but knew he couldn't. He remembered just her second day back in Tree Hill, when he was still miserable and bordering on pathetic, and she knocked sense into him in a way that only she could. He realized now how hard it must have been for her to take him to that pediatric ward and see those children afflicted with the same disease that had torn another mother from her life. Her strength and compassion never ceased to amaze him. He stopped walking and pulled her back to him so she was facing him.

"I never did thank you," he started, "for kicking my ass and getting me out of that wheelchair."

"You don't need to thank me," she insisted, shaking her head.

"Yes, I do," he said softly. "I was stuck in the worst possible place, and you were just mean enough to get the point across."

"I just want what's best for you," she said with a shrug. "You know that."

"Yeah, I do," he said with a smile, leaning down to kiss her. "You're too modest for your own good."

"Someone has to balance out your ego," she teased, laughing at the mock hurt on his face as they started walking again.

She tucked herself into his side again and wrapped her arm around his waist like she always did when they were walking together. Well, when they could be seen walking together. It still sometimes surprised her how much he'd changed over the years. She still thought he was giving her too much credit for getting him back on his feet, but if that was how he felt, she knew there was no changing his mind. And his sensitive side was almost as sexy as his confident side. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized he was the most perfect mix of both.

"Hey, I have a surprise for you," she said seductively as they entered their hotel room. He looked at her questioningly, and she just smiled in return. "It's your fantasy weekend, right?"

"OK, I like where this is going."

She would have laughed at the look on his face when she emerged from the bathroom and he saw her in the Duke blue, mostly lace nightgown, but his arms were around her and his lips were on hers before she could say a word.

"Best. Surprise. Ever," he muttered between the kisses he was placing to her neck.

Any lingering guilt she was feeling over lying to her friends about where she was going was erased by the things he was doing to her and the feel of his hands on her skin.


	8. Chapter 8

The drive back to Tree Hill was quiet, with both of them trying to take advantage of those last few moments of being alone. She leaned as close to him as she could, and he held her hand as tightly as she'd allow. She kissed him at every red light they hit and shrugged her shoulders when he questioned it. And no, he really couldn't argue with that logic.

She felt an unfamiliar pang in her heart when they entered their hometown, knowing that she had no clue when the next time was that she'd be able to be with him like that again. In three short days, she'd gotten used to the little things they'd done together that they hadn't been able to do yet. The way his hand found the small of her back when she was walking ahead of him, or the sudden kisses he'd press to her skin just because he could. She wanted those things more often. Every day, even.

He knew that she was thinking the same thing he was, and once he'd pulled into his garage, he turned to her knowing that sometime in the near future, they'd have to decide when and how they were going to 'go public'. But she smiled at him and leaned across the car to kiss him one last time, and he did what he'd been doing all along; he savored that moment and would handle the next ones as they came.

"I have to get going," Peyton said, though they both already knew she'd be leaving immediately after they returned to town, as they'd discussed. "I feel like I'm being a bad friend."

"Ah yes. Brooke's breakup," he said with a knowing nod. She smiled at him as they got out of his SUV and he lifted her suitcase into the back seat of her car for her. "Well, you've been a great girlfriend for the past few days, if it makes any difference."

"It might," she said, blushing at his use of the term again.

"Seriously Peyton. Thanks for coming with me," he said with a smile, pulling her against him just one more time before she had to leave.

"Thanks for taking me," she said softly, leaning up to kiss him. "OK. I have to go. If I weigh 10 pounds more the next time you see me, it's because Brooke and I have eaten a year's supply of ice cream."

"And I'm sure you'll still be sexy as hell," he said, smirking wolfishly as she got into her car and closed the door.

He waved as she pulled out of the drive. Three days with her wasn't enough. When he stepped into his empty home, it had never felt like less of one.

----

When Peyton got to her and Brooke's house, she noticed a Haley's car in the driveway, and she realized that she really was back to reality. She hoisted her bag out of her car and made her way through the front door to see Brooke, Haley and, somehow not surprisingly, Lindsey all sitting on the sofa, the room darkened significantly with the lights out and the blinds pulled, watching _The Break Up_. She noticed a stack of DVDs on the table, all the 'break up' movies Brooke and Peyton had decided years ago were the best ones to watch.

"Well well, ladies," she said, calling their attention to her. All three women turned and smiled at her as she dropped her things and walked to the couch. They scooted together to make room for her and she sat down. "I leave for three days and you all decide to have a girls' day without me?"

She slung her arm around her best friend, who grabbed the spare spoon from the table next to the sofa and handed it to Peyton so they could eat from their container of ice cream, as Haley and Lindsey shared their own.

Two cartons of ice cream, two bags of chips, some Chinese food, and a few packets of Skittles later, the four of them were scattered throughout the room, having decided the couch was too 'squishy' for all of them. They were sharing a laugh after having turned on some lights, and they finally got to talking about Brooke's actual relationship. She explained that she was fine, and that the split had been a long time coming.

Brooke was in the midst of telling a hilarious story of the last time Brooke and Peyton went out together as single girls, and the door flew open and Lucas strode in. He smiled when he saw the scene in front of him, noticing that Peyton and Lindsey were both sitting on the sofa, doubled over in laughter and leaning on each other for support.

"Uh oh," Brooke said. "Cock in the hen house!"

And for some reason, one that Lucas had obviously missed, that was the most hilarious thing any of the woman had ever heard. By all accounts, his wife should have been uncomfortable, sitting in the home of two of his ex-girlfriends, however he was relieved to see that she was getting along well with everyone.

"Why do I feel like I am witnessing some strange female ritual that I have no business seeing?" he asked, treading lightly as he stepped a little further into the house.

"Hey, Luke," Haley said, wiping the tears that had spilled from her eyes from laughing so hard. "Where's Jamie?"

"In the car, ready to go home with his mom," Lucas explained before turning to Lindsey. "You ready to head home?"

"Sure," Lindsey chirped. Both she and Haley stood and grabbed their things. "I'll see you guys later."

"See ya, Lindsey," Peyton called, making Lucas smile as he looked back and forth between both women, wondering momentarily when they'd become so friendly before he realized that it really didn't matter.

Brooke and Peyton spent the rest of their evening talking seriously about the breakup and the effect it was having on the brunette. She insisted she was alright, and Peyton didn't press her on that fact, but she suspected there'd be a mourning period that Brooke wouldn't show anyone other than her best friend. Even then, it would only be noticeable because they'd known each other so long.

They both went to bed thinking very different things. Brooke's mind was racing, wondering when she'd meet someone who made her as happy as Peyton seemed. Peyton thought about Nathan and thought that just maybe she'd never have to go through a breakup again.

----

Monday dragged on so long that it was almost torture. Peyton's day was crazy as she tried to catch up on the work she'd missed the week before. Of course, that was the day when the phone rang off the hook and too many little things came up out of nowhere. She felt like she didn't get anything done all day, though all she did was work herself into exhaustion. Nathan had called once, but she explained that she was busy and that she'd call him later. She forgot until later that evening, when she was laying in bed in her pajamas, and was stricken with guilt over not calling back. So she dialed his number and gave him an apology in whispered tones that he insisted were sexy, before she muttered a goodnight and fell into a deep sleep.

Tuesday was no better. She'd stupidly worn heels, and cursed herself for it, seeing as she'd had to rush to a meeting downtown and had misplaced her keys somewhere in her office. By the end of the day, her feet were throbbing, and all she wanted was to collapse with him into his bed and have him hold her and make her better. But Tuesday was his night with Jamie, and by the time he was free, she was too tired to move.

That day, while her best friend was at work, Brooke stepped into Peyton's room to borrow the necklace she'd asked about the night before, and took a quick peek around before heading to the jewelry box on the dresser. She pulled out the silver item she'd come for, and just as she was clasping it around her neck, she saw a shirt resting atop a chair in the corner of the room that she knew she needed to look at a little more closely.

The grey cotton was not suspicious, but the familiar logo on the front was. She didn't know her best friend was a Duke fan, but she recalled the conversation they'd had about Nathan. He was the only one she knew who kept up with that team. Her mind wandered briefly, but she remembered that her two oldest friends had grown close, and he'd probably just picked up the item for her when he'd gone to the game. She couldn't remember Peyton mentioning that she'd seen him since he returned, but didn't think much of it.

Nathan wished they could just be together without worrying about what anyone else thought. It had only been two days, but going that long without seeing her, and barely speaking to her, was driving him crazy, and by Wednesday, he'd stopped caring that they were trying to keep things secret.

He knew that his feelings for her were strong enough that if they told people, it wouldn't be for nothing. He planned on making it work, no matter what. He just didn't know how she felt. Of course, he knew she felt they were more than a fling, and that he was technically her 'boyfriend', but he wasn't sure if that meant more to her than their friends' opinions did.

He was at the River Court for a work out and she stopped by on her way home from the office. He smiled at her and kept playing as she walked onto the court. His heart nearly beat out of his chest, and it was from much more than just the workout. He was thrilled to see her, though he wasn't sure she had any idea just how much so.

"Hey," she said with a smile.

"Hey," he echoed breathlessly. She tossed him the bottle of water she'd brought him, knowing he always forgot to bring his own. "How was your day?"

"Fine," she said, then she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Not fine. Crazy and frustrating and ridiculous."

"I'm sorry," he said. He wanted so badly to kiss her, knowing that would make her smile.

"It's not your fault," she laughed. "My day just got better, anyway."

"Is that right?" he asked, smiling at the insinuation that he could brighten her mood just by standing in front of her.

She was about to respond when they heard a voice behind them.

"Nate and P. Sawyer," Skills called out. "What's goin' on?"

"I uh...I was just driving by and noticed he was here. Thought I'd stop and say hi," Peyton explained. She tried to convince herself it wasn't a lie. She had been driving by. Because he had sent her a text her telling her where he was and to come meet him when she was done work.

"Cool. Well, I was just walkin' past and thought _I'd_ say hi," he laughed. "I gotta run, though. See you guys later."

"Later, man," Nathan called as their friend walked away.

He went back to his game and she began walking towards the bleachers. He waited until he couldn't see Skills any more before saying anything, though it was hard to do.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"What?" She turned to face him, oblivious as to what he was talking about.

"Are you afraid of even being seen with me now?" he asked angrily. Clearly, the thinking he'd done about their relationship in the days they'd spent apart was being expressed. It wasn't, however, the way he'd wanted to discuss things.

"What? Nathan, we've talked about this! I thought we were keeping things quiet for a while." They'd had this conversation before, but never with raised voices. Or in public.

"OK, but that wasn't keeping it quiet. That was you pretending we hardly know each other," he explained, visibly irritated.

"Come on! It's bad enough Brooke knows that I'm seeing someone and not telling her who. She's going to hate us both when she finds out it's you. I don't even want to know what Haley's going to say," she said hurriedly.

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before," he muttered bitterly. He was just pissing her off now. He wasn't sure if he was necessarily trying to or not.

"Nathan, what is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me is that you're acting like this is nothing!" he spat as he gestured to the space between them with his hand.

"I'm not doing this again, Nathan. I'm not going to be with someone who takes it out on me every time he gets a little upset," she said, unable to hide her frustration.

He knew she was referring to their previous relationship, and she knew there was nothing he hated more than being reminded of the cocky, arrogant kid he used to be.

"Yeah, well I'm not just going to be the guy you screw until you figure out what the hell it is that you want." The remark sounded bitter and disgusting, even to him. Maybe especially to him.

She just stared at him. It killed her that that's what he thought their relationship was to her. She was aware that he was just angry and saying things he probably didn't mean, but if he felt that on any level, she needed to assure him that he couldn't have been further from the truth.

"You know that's not what I'm doing, Nate," she said softly, taking a step towards him. "You know that, right?"

He knew.

"I'm just saying, it's been over a month, Peyton. I'd like to actually take you on _real_ dates. Maybe stay at your place once in a while," he said, his voice softening. She noticed the corner of his mouth turn up slightly, and she knew she was a goner. That damned smirk.

"You're a jerk," she said, feeling the smile break on her own lips as she shook her head at him.

"Yeah," he said, grinning. He walked towards her and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "But you can't resist me and you know it."

She felt that no truer words had ever been spoken. She glanced around and noticed there wasn't a soul in sight, and hopped up on her toes to kiss him quickly. They'd had a few arguments since they'd gotten together, but she was still relieved that it was over.

"We have to talk about this," she said seriously, and he just nodded.

She didn't want to argue with him over anything, and they'd made an agreement not to pick fights over silly things after one morning when she yelled at him for drinking from the orange juice container instead of pouring a glass. She knew that wasn't what he'd done this time, but she also knew that with them, they needed to argue every now and again to get their feelings out in the open. They each had the tendency to keep things bottled up until it all became too much, then they'd spit their concerns and angry words at each other. Since they'd started seeing each other again, they'd learned that they could resolve these spats rather quickly with simple honesty.

She loved that. The tension and passion and energy between them was what made them exciting and fun, and they fit together well. They could read each other and play off each other, and she wouldn't trade that for anything.

"Come over," he pleaded.

"I can't. I promised Brooke I'd help her come up with ideas for her new line," she explained. He could hear in her voice that she might rather be with him, and he had to smile at that.

"OK," he said sadly before she began to walk away. "Just make sure you ask for a percentage."

"I'll see what I can do," she called, looking at him over her shoulder.

He watched her drive away, and immediately felt that familiar ache in his heart; the one he got every time he watched her leave.

----

Thursday, Peyton had woken Nathan up with a phone call, and he'd muttered that her voice was better than any alarm clock he'd ever heard. She promised him she'd be over later that evening and she'd spend the night. She needed to see him. A few short phone conversations and one argument in a public place just wouldn't do.

"OK, who is he?!" Brooke yelled, slamming the door and marching to the sofa where Peyton had been quietly reading a magazine after finishing her dinner that evening. She had to wait until Jamie had gone home before heading to Nathan's so she was killing time with the latest issue of _Vanity Fair_.

"What?" Peyton asked. She knew exactly what her friend was referring to, but needed to stall.

After their argument the day before, Nathan had decided to send Peyton flowers, something he'd never done for her before. It was a very sweet gesture. She just wished Brooke hadn't been in her office when they were delivered. The two friends were chatting over coffee shortly after noon when a bouquet of 12 white roses were placed on Peyton's desk. The card simply read: _'I'm told white roses represent secrecy...'_ She knew his writing, though he hadn't left his name. It was his own way of apologizing and expressing his understanding without having to say the words. Peyton was worried she'd have to explain, however Brooke's phone had rung and it was her New York office, so she'd been forced to leave.

It appeared now that the curiosity was killing her.

"Don't play dumb with me, fake blondie. Just tell me. I've been really cool about your need to keep things all mysterious and whatever, but you need to just _tell_ me already," Brooke said. The last part came out a bit whinier than she'd intended, but she didn't care.

"Brooke..." Peyton started.

"Don't 'Brooke' me!" she shouted, and they both laughed a little at the statement. "Come on, Peyton. I really need you to be honest with me now."

"You're not going to like it," Peyton warned. She knew she couldn't hold this in any longer. She was convinced that she had to say something. Truthfully, she knew she'd feel better after telling someone; that somehow it would make everything more real.

"If you say it's Lucas, I don't think I'll be OK with it," Brooke said solemnly. Adultery was simply not something she could forgive.

"Oh, God no! It's not Lucas," Peyton scoffed. Brooke stared at her expectantly, waiting impatiently for an answer. "You do know him, though."

"I do? Who do I know? Owen, but I know it's not him. Chase!? No. Not Lucas. Skills!? It's Skills isn't it! I saw how he was looking at you at Tric last week...Oh my God! You and Skills..." Brooke started to ramble.

"Brooke!" Peyton shouted. The brunette looked back at her friend with a giddy smile. "It's not Skills."

"Who else do I know?" Brooke asked, not realizing she'd left out the other Scott brother.

And then Peyton practically saw the light bulb go on.

"Oh. My. God."

"Yeah," Peyton said, wincing slightly as she waited for her friend to scream at her.

"As in Haley's ex. As in your ex. As in your other ex's brother," Brooke said, trying to wrap her head around it.

"I know. It's all...complicated," Peyton said. "Now you know why I didn't say anything sooner."

"So it's serious? Has he been the one all along? I take it you're over Lucas?" Brooke asked in rapid-fire succession.

"Slow down, Brooke," Peyton laughed. "It's serious enough that I'm telling you. It's been him all along. I am definitely over Lucas, like I've told you a hundred times before."

"Using one Scott to get over the other, huh?" Brooke asked with a smirk. The look Peyton shot her quickly proved that statement to be untrue. "OK. I want details."

"Well, you remember that weekend, right?" Peyton asked, tucking her leg up underneath her.

"Yeah. That Friday we ran into you-know-who and his you-know-what," Brooke said with a smirk, though she knew she could have said 'Lucas and his wife'.

"Yeah, well I went out to Linden's that night, just to get away from it all."

"Linden's? Ew," Brooke said disgustedly. "I haven't been there since I was like, 16."

"Yeah, well Tric was off-limits because I knew Owen would tell on me. So, I was just sitting there minding my own business when Nathan came in," Peyton explained. "We just talked and danced and..."

"Whoa, wait," Brooke laughed, holding up her hands. "Nathan _danced_? Oh my God! This is _so_ good! We need ice cream." She clapped her hands together and squealed as she got up off the couch and ran to the freezer. She returned back to her spot with two spoons and some double chocolate chip, and motioned for Peyton to continue the story.

"We just kind of hung out. He, kind of out of nowhere, made a comment about my appearance..."

"What kind of comment?" Brooke asked with a smirk.

"He just said I looked sexy," Peyton explained. "It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it, you know?" She watched Brooke's smile grow as she nodded. "And then he kissed me."

"OK, tell me you weren't completely drunk, though," Brooke said seriously.

"No, we weren't. We were...just drunk enough. Sober enough know what we were doing and not regret or forget it," Peyton said with a laugh, making Brooke do the same. "And then we um...we went back to his place."

"Romantic," Brooke teased sarcastically. "That's kind of fun though."

"It was fun," Peyton said quietly. It was a double entendre, and she knew Brooke would realize that.

"You know what's weird?" Brooke asked. "I guess it's kind of...surprising, but it's kind of not."

"I know," Peyton said, smiling because she and Nathan had had a similar conversation not long ago. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad? Because of Haley?" she asked. Peyton just nodded solemnly. "Haley and Nathan have been over for a long time, and she's starting to date, too. I mean, none of us saw that divorce coming, but what can you do? I haven't seen you this happy in years."

"You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that," Peyton sighed.

She felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was no longer scared that their relationship wasn't real or serious. She no longer worried that her friends would all hate her. If Brooke was alright with everything, then maybe everyone else would be too.

"I'm still pissed that you didn't give me details until now," Brooke warned with a stern tone. "But I guess I can understand why you kept things secret."

"Yeah," Peyton responded quietly. "We didn't want to tell everyone until we knew kind of...what we were."

"That makes total sense. Plus, sneaking around makes it kind of sexy, doesn't it?" Brooke said with a kinked brow and a smirk.

"Trust me, Nathan has no problem being sexy," Peyton said wistfully. Once she realized she'd said it out loud, she blushed.

"You are _sooo_ hot for Scott!" Brooke teased.

Peyton didn't respond, she just turned her head to check the clock, knowing very well that her friend would see her blushing.

"Listen, don't say anything to Haley, OK? Promise me." Brooke nodded, knowing exactly why she was being asked. "I have to go. I promised him I'd watch the USC game with him tonight," she said, standing from the couch and retreating to her room. Brooke quickly got up and followed.

"OK. You two really are a proper couple, aren't you?" she asked, watching as Peyton gathered a few things to put in her discreet overnight bag.

"What? No! We just...eat and hang out and...do stuff," Peyton explained. Brooke tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "OK, we're pretty couple-y."

"Yeah, you are," Brooke laughed, letting Peyton walk past her and towards the front door. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Brooke. Thanks for understanding," Peyton offered quietly, knowing she didn't have to say the words, but that it still felt good.

"Of course. I really am happy for you. Both of you," Brooke said with a smile as she watched her best friend nodded and walked out the door to go see the boy who had her smiling again.

----

"I told Brooke," she blurted as soon as she'd walked through the door and saw him sitting on the sofa.

"You did, did you?" he asked with a smile. It was as though he just needed someone else to know in order for it to all be real.

"Yes. And she's not angry and she doesn't hate me or think I'm a husband-stealing bitch," Peyton said, walking into his living room and flopping down onto the couch. She heard him laugh as he hooked his arm around her shoulder so she could lean against him.

"Well that's good news," he chuckled.

"I told her not to tell Haley. I think you should tell her yourself," Peyton explained.

"I think so, too. I think I should also tell Luke," he admitted. Yes, Nathan Scott had grown into quite a man, she thought to herself upon hearing those words come from his mouth.

She leaned up to kiss him before nestling against him again.

"This is kind of good timing," he said as he stroked her arm.

"Yeah? Why's that?" she asked absently.

"Because I'm falling in love with you," he stated matter-of-factly.

He'd realized it when they went away together - maybe even before then. He'd been waiting for her to say something first, but he just couldn't go any longer without letting her know. Their argument the day before, he'd realized, was caused by his frustration that he couldn't just express himself. Those declarations had never been his strong suit, but with Peyton...with Peyton, he just didn't want to waste time letting her know.

"You...you're...what?" she asked, shaking her head as she pulled away from him and looked into his eyes.

"I'm falling for you, Peyton," he repeated. "Hard."

She could only smile as she stared at him. The closest they'd ever gotten to the 'L' word was in high school, when neither of them knew what love was, and each would mutter half-hearted I love you's when one of them did something to make the other happy. This was so much more than that.

"You're kinda growing on me, too," she said with a smirk, moving to straddle him as she pressed her lips to his. His hands quickly moved to her back to pull her closer to him, but she pulled away after a few moments.

"What about the game?" she asked, trying in vain to ignore his lips on her neck.

"You think I'd pick a college basketball game over you?" he muttered against her skin.

The sounds of the crowd cheering filled the room and, out of instinct, he craned his neck to see the screen, making them both laugh. She climbed off him and settled in beside him again. She was completely content just sitting with him and watching a ball game. And truthfully, that was just one of the things he loved about her. She didn't complain or ask him to change the channel. She'd actually become an even bigger fan of the game. He didn't think he could put into words just how sexy that was.

Neither could shake the feeling of comfort that washed over them as they sat there together. And they didn't want to.


	9. Chapter 9

She left early in the morning on Friday, claiming a crazy day at work, and when he complained when she woke him before the sun was even up, she'd given him that look he'd seen so many times before, and told him that she wanted him just one more time before she had to go.

And what man in his right mind would argue with that?

So he watched her leave, then went for a run, earlier than usual, and went to the River Court, earlier than usual, and spent the rest of his day wondering just how he was going to tell Haley about his relationship. He realized that the guy he used to be would have used his charm and his smile and his eyes to either make Peyton do it, or somehow make Haley think it was the best news she'd ever heard. But he wasn't that guy, and he wouldn't make Peyton do it, and he had no idea what Haley was going to say.

Gotta love a small town.

They were in a tangled web, and though it was spun by only good things, he realized that those good things had to crisscross and trip over each other so many times, that somehow he and Peyton had managed to back themselves into a corner. And yes, even thinking that, he realized he was mixing metaphors, but it made sense in his head.

He spent his entire weekend with Jamie talking about basketball and playing basketball and doing all the things that they never got to do together anymore, just like every other weekend the boy stayed at the house. This time, they had a boys' day, and Lucas, Skills, Mouth, Junk and Fergie all came over for pizza and sodas and they flipped between a few channels to watch as many games as they could.

No one noticed that Peyton's name flashed across the screen of his cell phone, or that he walked out of the room to take the call. She was upset about something work related, and so close to tears that his heart wrenched in his chest. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was around, and stepped out onto the back porch of his home.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I know this is your weekend with Jamie and I'm probably the last thing you need right now, but I just really needed to hear your voice."

"Peyton," he said, attempting to calm her as best he could. Her rambling was cute, but he knew it rarely ever meant something good. "You need to stop thinking that you're some sort of burden."

"I just know how you feel about Jamie..."

"And he's fine. He's," he paused to look through the window just in time to see Jamie laugh hysterically at something his uncle had said. "He's hanging out with the guys. Now tell me what's going on."

"I just got a call from my label partners in L.A. and they're really pressuring me about Mia's new album, and they won't agree with me on anything to do with Will before he goes on the road and we release his first song. I just...I feel like I can't do this, Nathan."

"Babe, you're doing great," he assured her. "And Mia's coming back tomorrow, right? So you can talk to her then, and I know that you'll make the label see things your way."

The line was quiet and he was worried that he had no freaking clue what he was talking about because...well, because he kind of didn't. He knew a little bit about the industry from Haley, and he had always listened intently as Peyton spoke of her work, but it was out of his realm, despite the business courses he took in college.

"Peyton?"

"Yeah," she said. He could hear her smile, and he had to do the same. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," he insisted.

"Shut up," she scoffed, aware that they both knew that he'd done exactly what she needed him to do. "Go play with the boys. I'll talk to you later."

"Don't say 'play with the boys'. That sounds like...like something this isn't," he joked, making her let out that laugh that he so loved. "Come over tomorrow night."

"Alright," she sighed dramatically, making him chuckle. "I'll see you after work."

He hung up and he was still smiling, but he didn't know that his brother had stepped into the kitchen to grab another drink, and had heard him say_ 'come over tomorrow night'_. Lucas' mind instantly raced, wondering who had been on the phone that could make his brother smile that way. But Nathan had been through a lot, and there were people around, and Lucas didn't want to say anything. He decided instead to go back to the living room, turning a blind eye to the things he so desperately wanted to know.

When Nathan dropped off Jamie on Sunday evening, he found Haley and Brooke sitting in the kitchen, and when neither Haley or Jamie were looking, the brunette shot him a wink that he could tell was just the tip of the iceberg. He knew she'd have questions and jokes and harmless fun for hours over his and Peyton's relationship. He also knew that she'd love being the only one who knew about it, no matter how long that secret lasted.

"Hey baby boy," Haley cooed, taking Jamie in her arms and kissing his forehead. "I missed you."

"I'm not a baby," he groaned, and Nathan ruffled his hair as Brooke laughed.

"But you're _my_ baby," Haley said dramatically.

"Hi aunt Brooke," the boy said in a sing song voice.

"Hi Jamie Scott," she mimicked.

"Hales," Nathan started. He still sometimes called her by that nickname, and at first he hated himself for it, but then he realized just how lucky he was to have an ex-wife he was on such good terms with. "You think we could talk sometime?"

Brooke's eyes went wide as she sat behind her friend, knowing exactly what it was that he wanted to talk about.

"Um...sure," Haley said, already curious.

"It's nothing urgent. Maybe on Tuesday I can pick Jamie up from here and...Brooke could watch him for a bit while we talk," he offered, and Brooke nodded and offered a smile when Haley turned to her.

"Sure. I'll be home around 4:00," she said with a smile.

"OK. I'll see you, buddy," he said, reaching down to pick up his son before pressing a kiss to the boy's hair.

"Bye daddy."

And Nathan would never get sick of being called that name.

"Nathan!" Brooke called. "I'll walk out with you."

He had to smirk as he waited for her to say her goodbyes so she could no doubt grill him and tease him and maybe say she was happy for him, in that spirited and unique way that only Brooke Davis could.

She had her eyebrow kinked as soon as the door had closed behind them, and he looked at her expectantly, waiting for whatever it was she had to say.

"Come over," she requested. "We can all hang out."

"Brooke, I don't know..."

"Come on, Nathan. You know you want to see her," she baited.

Of course he did, and so he tilted his head back and rolled his eyes, and gestured for her to lead the way, though they both knew he didn't need it.

Peyton was in only his Duke tee shirt, that favourite one of his that she'd worn, and apparently stolen, and a pair of little cotton shorts. She was making tea and her eyes went wide when her best friend and her boyfriend walked through the door together.

"You thief!" he cried, pointing to her shirt as soon as he saw her.

"What?" she said innocently, raising her shoulder and smirking coyly.

"You know '_what'_. I've been looking for that," he explained as he made his way to her and pulled her into his side so he could kiss the top of her head.

And they both felt that rush, knowing their friend was standing right there and witnessing that fun and playful moment between them, and maybe Brooke would see that they weren't playing some strange game and that their relationship was more than just some fling, though they both already knew that really wasn't what she thought.

"Come on you two," she called from the living room. "Let's chat."

"Uh oh," Peyton said with a laugh, pouring the boiling water into her mug.

They made their way to the sofa as Brooke sat across from them on a chair with her arms and legs crossed like she meant business. Nathan would have been nervous if she'd been anyone else.

"So, Nathan, what are your intentions with my Peyton?" she asked, managing to keep a straight face, but only until she'd said all the words. The two faces with raised eyebrows and smirks looking back at her made her burst into a fit of laughter.

"I intend to get my tee shirt back," he said seriously, looking at Peyton as she rolled her eyes.

"OK, but wait until I leave," Brooke said wiggling her eyebrows.

Nathan kissed Peyton's temple and leaned in to whisper something in her ear that Brooke could only assume was flirtatious, because the blush that appeared on her best friend's cheeks and the look she gave him made him laugh at her.

"God, I'm so jealous of you two," Brooke said with a smile, shaking her head as she stood from her place and headed for the door.

"Thanks Brooke," Nathan laughed.

"Where are you going?" Peyton asked curiously.

"I'm um...," the brunette stuttered as she rested her hand on the doorknob. "I'm having dinner with Chase."

"Brooke!" came Peyton's cry.

"Whoa," Nathan muttered.

"We're just going to talk about the breakup and stuff. Don't get yourselves all worked up over it," Brooke explained.

Peyton suspected that no one - Brooke, Chase, herself or Nathan - thought that's all that dinner would be. But she didn't say a word, and when Brooke walked out the door, Nathan just looked at Peyton and shrugged his shoulders.

"You know this is the first time I've been here with you?" he asked as she took a sip of her drink and cuddled into his side a little closer.

"That's not true," she scoffed. "You've been here before."

"As your friend," he pointed out. "Not as your boyfriend."

"I guess you're right," she said after a few moments of thinking.

They sat for a while and chatted about their respective weekends, and he told stories and anecdotes about Jamie and his day with his friends, and she watched him with a smile, loving that he loved his son so much. She didn't know anyone else who could put that sparkle in his eye, just that bit of light blue, like Jamie could.

And when she checked the clock and saw that it was nearing 10:30, she knew he was about to say he should go, and it was her turn to say those words he'd said so many times.

"Stay with me tonight."

"I don't have clothes," he said with a grin, knowing that was no excuse and she'd roll her eyes the way he saw her do moments later.

"You can have your tee shirt back," she enticed, standing from the sofa. "But then _I'll_ have nothing to wear."

That was all it took for him to stand, pick her up and make her squeal as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and carry her into her bedroom with a wolfish grin on his face.

He left her the next morning, after pulling the faded grey tee shirt over his head. She lay in bed with the sheets pulled up around her and told him she'd see him that evening, and he bent down to kiss her before he left the room.

Brooke didn't fail to notice the shirt he was wearing when he walked out to find her making coffee. He offered her an almost embarrassed nod as she smirked, and she just shook her head as she watched him slip out the front door.

He realized that was the first time he'd ever been the one to have to leave the next day. He couldn't say he liked it any better than having to watch her go.

----

He was more nervous than he could ever remember being, that Tuesday, as he walked up to the door of Haley's - formerly his - house. He didn't knock - he never did, and she never asked him to - before walking in and making his way to the kitchen, where he instinctively knew she'd be.

"Hi," she said with a smile, putting down her mug and motioning for him to sit.

And he realized, once again, just how lucky they were that, despite everything - all the hurt and confusion and broken hearts - the two of them could still be friendly, even in the absence of their son. He smiled back instead of saying those words, because they'd already been spoken and he knew it wasn't necessary.

"Hey," he replied.

"Brooke's bringing Jamie back at 5," Haley explained. "I'm sure he'll be sufficiently spoiled with sweets for you."

"Great," he groaned playfully.

"So," they both said at the same time, then smiled at each other and chuckled.

"What's going on?" she asked casually.

"I just...kind of wanted to talk to you about something that's...probably not going to be...I mean, it's just...I don't know if...," he stuttered.

And even as he was speaking, he knew he wasn't the kind of guy to stutter, and that he probably sounded like a complete idiot. But for all the thinking he'd done about what he was going to say to Haley, he'd come up empty and instead had decided to just 'wing it'. Thankfully, or maybe not, he hadn't told Peyton that he was going to talk to Haley. Part of him he wished he had, because she would have known what to say, but he didn't want her to have to stress about it when she couldn't control the situation.

"Nathan," Haley said softly, in that encouraging tone that was the perfect mix of school teacher and mother.

"OK," he laughed, more at himself than anything else. "I'm seeing someone."

There was a moment of silence when she furrowed her brow and smiled, not sure why he was so nervous, but thankful that he was still concerned and considerate enough that he wanted to tell her this piece of news.

"OK?" she asked slowly. "I think that's great, Nathan."

It wasn't a lie, or even a stretch of the truth, and he could tell just by looking at her. He felt himself calm down immediately with that knowledge.

"Well, the thing is...It's Peyton," he said, surprising even himself with the confidence with which he spoke her name.

Haley's eyes went wide and her mouth gaped in that way that it only did when she'd been let in on a huge piece of gossip.

"Get out!" she cried. "OK...that's just..."

"Crazy? I know," he laughed.

"It's so...unexpected," she finished, almost in awe, watching as he nodded. "Nathan, I really appreciate you telling me before I found out from someone else, but now I just need the gossip."

And he laughed because it was the best thing to do, and because he was so damn _relieved_.

"We just...grew closer," he said, choosing his words carefully. His ex-wife was understanding, but she didn't need to know that his new relationship originated at a seedy bar. "We've been seeing each other for over a month, and it's going really well, Hales."

"You guys are so _sneaky_!" Haley gasped. "All this time, we've been begging for info."

"Yeah, she's a sly one," he laughed, shaking his head because they both knew it was true. "So you're OK with this? She was really worried you'd be mad at her, and I'd totally understand that. And with Jamie and everything...I just...if you're not OK with it..."

"What?" she asked. "If I wasn't OK with it, then what?"

"I...I don't know," he said, stunned.

He hadn't really thought about that. Of course, it had crossed his mind, but he'd pushed it away, not wanting to admit that maybe this would cause a big argument and maybe he'd have to end things with Peyton. And ending things with Peyton simply wasn't something he thought he could do at that point.

"Nathan," Haley said sweetly. "I am fine with it. I was just asking because...Well, if you'd said that you'd stop seeing her if I wasn't alright with it, I would have asked you not to have her spend too much time alone with Jamie."

"What?" he asked, confusedly. "Why?"

"Because it would have meant that your relationship wasn't stable and I don't want people coming and going out of his life," Haley said with a smile. "But since you couldn't answer that, you just showed me that you aren't just messing around, and that you might be falling in love with her," she finished quietly, and with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm...what?" he said quickly, scoffing, and brushing off the comment with a shake of his head, though he knew damn well it was true.

"Nathan Scott," she reprimanded. "I know you, and I know how you handle your heart. You wouldn't have come to me about it, and you wouldn't have frozen when I asked you that question before, and you wouldn't have just done that little thing you just did if you weren't falling for her."

Yes, Haley knew him well and he should have been prepared for that, but he wasn't. She really was more understanding than anyone he'd ever met.

"You are something else, Haley James," he said with a smirk, and she shrugged her shoulders cutely. He knew he'd just confirmed her statement to be true, but they both knew there was no use in him trying to deny it. "Seriously, Haley, thanks for this. And everything."

"I'm happy if you're happy," she explained sincerely. "And honestly, I'd rather have you dating someone I know and trust than anyone else."

"Yeah," Nathan nodded. "I know what you mean."

He'd caught wind through Peyton that Haley had been on a few dates, though nothing serious had come from it yet, and it did make him worry about another man coming in and playing a role in his son's life. He understood her desire to have a trusted friend play that role.

"I promise you I'll keep you posted," she said softly, and they both knew what that phrase meant, so he just nodded again.

She spent the next few minutes plying him with questions about his relationship, and he spent those minutes trying to dodge any conversation that would have made either of them uncomfortable. He said he'd talk to Jamie soon, and she suggested that both she and Peyton be there with him when he did it. He explained that only Brooke and now, she, knew. She asked when he was going to tell Lucas, and he said he wasn't sure. She reassured him that everything would be fine, and that if she could understand, then his brother could too. Just as she told him that if he needed her to talk to Lucas, she would, the door flung open, and in ran a very excited Jamie.

"Hey daddy!" he shouted, climbing onto his father's lap. "Guess what? Aunt Brooke bought me ice cream and chocolate!"

"Well, that was awfully nice of her. And right before dinner, too," Nathan said sarcastically. "Thanks, Brooke."

"Anytime, superstar," she said with a dimpled smile and a wink.

"OK, kiddo, let's get out of here. Say goodbye to your mom," Nathan requested, watching as Jamie leaned over and hugged Haley, saying his goodbye before making his way to the door.

"Go on, Nathan," Haley said hurriedly, excitement in her voice. "Brooke and I need to have a little chat."

He felt his face going red, and he wondered again when he became that guy; the kind of guy who blushed and got bashful talking about his relationship. He assumed it was right around the time he and Peyton got together.

He didn't see Peyton that evening, though neither of them had expected it. He'd been too exhausted from chasing Jamie around and trying to get him to burn off the sugar, and though he would have liked to complain about that, he couldn't. He loved playing with his son, and he'd take advantage of every second he got to do it.

He meant to call her right after he got home, but he was so tired that he crashed at 10:00, and realized that was the first time in a long time that he had gone a full day without hearing her voice. But he had a really, really great dream about her that _knew_ he'd have to tell her about at a later date.

----

The next day, Peyton was frantic. Her morning was busy as she tried in vain to get a hundred things done at once, though she should have known better. She had a meeting with a visiting rep from her label partners, and she was nervous, despite knowing that she had the control and the know how, and she was prepared to fight for her artist.

Of course, the meeting went off without a hitch and she'd finally made headway, and she wondered if she had Nathan and his reassuring tone during that call she'd made to him when she was holding back tears to thank for her sudden burst of confidence.

It was just after 1:00, and she had just pulled into the parking lot at Tric after returning from the meeting. Her phone rang, and she smiled like a fool seeing that it was him.

"Hello," she said, juggling her bag, phone, and a few files as she walked.

"How was your meeting?" he asked, genuinely interested, as always, in her work.

"It was good. We finally agreed on the marketing campaign," she explained, making her way up the steps into Tric.

"Nice! I told you," he said smugly.

"Yeah, yeah," she deadpanned, smiling at the fact that, of course, he'd see this as some sort of victory.

"So, I talked to Haley yesterday," he said quickly. He just wanted her to know.

"Oh," she said softly, almost stopping in her tracks. "And?"

"She was surprised, but said that she's glad that I'm with someone she trusts with Jamie. She didn't expect your quote-unquote mystery man to be me, but she said she's happy if we're happy," he explained.

"That seems to be the consensus," she admitted with a laugh. She wondered how much time Haley and Brooke had spent over the last month talking about her love life.

"I guess we have pretty great friends," he said with a laugh. "I'm actually really relieved."

"Yeah, me too," she said, smiling so widely that she knew he'd hear it.

"Listen, why don't you come over later? I'll grab a bottle of wine, you can bring some music and maybe that sexy little black number I like." His voice was low and gravelly, and it made her briefly wonder if she could skip the rest of her workday.

"Nathan Scott, are you propositioning me?" she teased, catching her own smiling reflection in the window as she walked into the club.

"I'm pretty sure you like it, Sawyer," he replied. "Actually, I _know_ you like it."

"OK. I'm hanging up before you ask me what I'm wearing," she joked, laughing at his shameless flirting.

"Well, I wasn't going to, but if you wanted to tell me..."

"Goodbye! I'll be over around 7:00," she said, still laughing.

"Peyton!" he called, before she hung up. "Don't forget the..."

"Black. I got it," she said quickly, blushing as she noticed Brooke sitting in her office.

"I'll see you later," he said before hanging up.

"Lover boy?" Brooke asked as Peyton walked around to her side of the desk.

"It was _Nathan_," Peyton corrected. She tended to stay away from all the titles and nicknames Brooke liked to give people.

"That's what I said," she stated with a grin. "I take it you won't be home tonight?"

"I'm going to his place, yes," Peyton informed her friend, shuffling papers on her desk and prioritizing her afternoon.

"You love him," Brooke said, almost in disbelief.

"What?" Peyton asked dismissively. "No. It's...no."

"You do. You may not know it right now, but you do," Brooke said with a grin, flashing her dimples before she let out a delighted giggle. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

"Brooke, calm down," Peyton laughed. Her mind was flooded. She didn't love him.

Did she?

"What can I do for you, Miss Davis?" she asked, desperate to change the subject. "I've actually got a crazy afternoon."

"I just brought you a mocha to toast you to the fact that Haley doesn't hate you," Brooke explained with a grin, gesturing to the coffee on her friend's desk. "She and I had a long talk last night after Nathan told her, and she is totally cool with everything. Like, surprisingly cool. You and your boy toy superstar are pretty much in the clear!" Peyton rolled her eyes at yet another nickname - rather, two nicknames combined. "I guess, other than telling Luke."

"Yeah. That'll be..." Peyton started, unable to find the words.

"It'll be fine," Brooke said with a reassuring smile that almost convinced Peyton that it would be. "Well, have fun tonight. And Peyton? Make him say it first."

"What?" the blonde asked obliviously.

"I love you. Make him say it first." Brooke turned on her heel and walked out, leaving Peyton to her thoughts and her work. But mostly her thoughts.

His words from the other night still ran through her. She never expected him to say those words first, or maybe even at all, but they made her spine tingle in a way she hadn't thought possible.


	10. Chapter 10

Peyton went to Nathan's house that Wednesday after work, as promised, and the two of them spent the evening together at his place, drinking wine and listening to her choice of music. He'd made a dinner that he'd dubbed romantic. He told her all about the dream he'd had, which was suspiciously similar to the evening they were sharing, right down to the black satin article of clothing he'd insisted she bring.

They went to his bedroom almost immediately after dinner, and he'd surprised her with a decadent chocolate dessert, which she insisted they eat in bed as they watched ESPN, and he wondered just how he'd gotten lucky enough to find a woman as perfect as she was. Every day he'd learn something new about her, or she'd do something else that was so incredible that he could only shake his head in amazement.

She spent the rest of the week at his house, going to hers only for clean clothing, and he intended on having her there all weekend as well. She never tired of his company, and he never tired of having her in his house.

That Friday night, they fell asleep in each others' arms, warming each other. She'd insisted they leave his balcony door open to create a breeze. He teased her that she just wanted an excuse for him to not let her go, then promised her that he'd hold her as long as she'd let him. They both lay there, inwardly trying to decode that phrase, and wondering if it meant what they both wanted it to mean.

The next morning, he wanted to get a workout in at the River Court, so they'd driven there together, holding hands as they wove through the streets of their hometown. They were becoming less and less worried about who saw them. Since he'd talked to Haley, they both figured that they were pretty much in the clear.

"By the way," he said as they got out of his SUV. "Lucas is meeting me here."

He hadn't told her because he didn't want to give her a reason to back out. He was still nervous that, despite her insistence to the contrary, she might run back to Lucas someday, though he didn't want to admit that. _She_ knew, however, that he had nothing to worry about. It was just one of the few things he was insecure about.

"OK," she said as she walked towards the bleachers.

"OK?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes. OK," she repeated with a smile. "You have to talk to him soon, too."

"I know," he called, dribbling his way towards the basket.

Lucas drove up about 10 minutes later, and both he and Lindsey stepped out of his car and made their way onto the court. They said their hellos and Peyton and Lindsey exchanged pleasantries and made small talk while the boys got their workout in.

"So I'm seeing someone," Nathan said abruptly after about an hour. He sent the ball towards the net and watched as it dropped through the chains. The look on Peyton's face was priceless. She hadn't meant for him to break the news _now_.

"That's great!" Lucas said enthusiastically. "I had a feeling you were. What's she like?"

"She's great. She's amazingly beautiful. She's smart and funny. She doesn't take my bullshit," he said, smiling at the girl sitting on the bleachers as she eyed him.

"Sounds perfect for you," Lucas said with a grin. "How long's it been going on and when can I meet her?"

"Almost a month and a half," Nathan said, and smiled at his brother's shocked expression. "And actually, you already know her."

"Brooke?!" Lindsey asked, shock in her voice.

Peyton let out a laugh and all eyes were on her. "Sorry," she said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Actually," Nathan started. "She's right here." He threw Peyton a smile and she shook her head at him.

"Whoa," Lindsey said softly, making Peyton laugh again.

"Wait. What?" Lucas asked, completely taken aback. "How did you...When did...What?"

The four of them shared a laugh over Lucas' stuttering, all of them knowing that he wasn't the kind of guy who stuttered.

"We've been keeping it quiet. We were waiting till it was serious before we told people," Nathan explained.

"So it's serious?" Lucas asked pointlessly, smiling widely. He was happy for the two of them, so long as they weren't intending to break each others' hearts. Something about the way the two of them were looking at each other told him that they weren't. Something about that bugged him just a little bit, but he pushed it aside.

"It is," Nathan said, taking the ball from his brother's hands and running back to the middle of the court for no other reason than to hide the huge smile he was wearing.

"Peyton, this is great," Lindsey offered genuinely.

"Thanks, Lindsey," Peyton answered, smiling sincerely at the woman she'd wanted to hate so badly not so long ago.

Despite their shaky beginnings, it actually felt nice to have Lindsey on her side. Peyton realized then that Lindsey wasn't the enemy; she was simply a woman who loved a man, and Peyton of all people couldn't fault her for that. And what she'd come to learn was that Lucas and Lindsey were kind of the perfect fit. They were a couple that were happy without having to put too much effort forth. It was easy for them.

She and Nathan were slightly different, she was well aware. They had their battles, and they were both stubborn and proud and they argued. But those things all contributed to why they worked so well together. They each refused to fail, independently, or as a couple, and their arguments were just a reflection of that.

"We should all have dinner!" Lindsey said excitedly. "Luke, we should take them to that place we went that time!"

"Linds," he said, shaking his head. "Need you to be more specific."

"You know. With the really great crème brulé," she added.

Peyton barely heard the conversation going on around her. She was busy watching Nathan push himself on the court. He was sweating and working feverishly as he sent up shot after shot. She noticed he didn't miss once the entire time she was watching him. He lifted the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead as the ball was pinned to his hip beneath his arm.

That was the moment she realized she was in love with him. Completely, absolutely in love with him.

The boys played a while longer while Peyton and Lindsey had a pleasant conversation on the bleachers. Both women were relieved that they could finally talk and genuinely get along. And both had to admit that the other wasn't as bad as they'd been so quick to assume. Peyton even started to believe that they were becoming friends. Had you asked her a year ago if that were possible, she would have laughed in your face.

Lucas and Lindsey left Peyton and Nathan at the River Court and drove off towards their own home, explaining that Haley and Jamie were going to be over later for dinner.

"You ready to get out of here?" she asked, standing and stretching her arms over her head, stiff from sitting on the bleachers for so long. He watched as her shirt rode up, revealing a few inches of skin at her midriff. He couldn't help but stare as he walked toward her.

"I actually have one more thing to do," he said, grinning as he stood in front of her, inwardly laughing at the confused look in her eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"This."

He brought one hand to her face and placed the other on her back, pressing her body to his. He kissed her without worrying who might see or what they might say. It was just the two of them, kissing feverishly. Her hands found their way to his hair and she feathered her fingers through his short locks before they parted.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes still closed as their foreheads pressed together. Her heart was racing and she felt dizzy. That was a kiss like no other.

"Because I could," he said with a smirk, taking her hand in his and leading her towards his car.

"You think you could drop me off at Haley's?" she asked timidly.

"Uh...yeah. Why?" he inquired as he opened the car door for her.

"I just haven't talked to her since you told her, and that was days ago. I just feel like she and I should talk about it," she explained.

"OK. You want me to pick you up later?" he asked, turning the key and pulling away from the court.

"Why don't you stay? You can hang out with Jamie and then we can go from there," she said, putting her hand over his as it rested on the console between them.

He just nodded as he drove, and the two of them listened to the radio in silence until he couldn't bear it any more. Just as he'd pulled onto Haley's street, he turned to Peyton knowing he had to say something.

"You know she's alright with us," he pointed out.

"I know," she nodded. "I just owe it to her to talk about it one-on-one."

He just let out a quick breath and smiled at her. Her concern and compassion for other people never ceased to amaze him. She was so selfless that he sometimes wondered how it was possible. And he was learning that from her, too. Not that he was as selfish as he once was, but he still managed to somehow take that from her. Just by being around her, she was showing by example how to be different. She didn't have to ask or tell him or request that he change, and he wasn't doing anything drastic. He could barely explain it, but there were just little things about her that he wanted to mirror in his own demeanor.

Haley turned from her book, shocked but happy to see the couple before her as she sat reading in her living room. The smile on her face put Peyton at ease immediately.

"Hey lovebirds," she teased, ushering them into the house.

"Oh God," Peyton groaned, covering her face with her hand.

"Jamie's cleaning his room," Haley explained to Nathan. "You want to go help him so we can talk about you?"

"This is so weird," Nathan muttered as he made his way to the stairs, hearing the faint laughter of both women.

Peyton sat on the sofa with her friend, and wondered what the hell she was supposed to say. She hadn't given it much though. Actually, that was a lie. She'd thought about it a lot, but now that she was sitting there, she felt like all the things she'd thought to say were completely inappropriate.

"Sorry I didn't come by sooner," she offered.

Haley could tell right away that Peyton was nervous and feeling remorseful over her relationship with Nathan, but she certainly didn't want her to feel that way.

"Peyton, it's fine. Everything's fine. I really don't want this to come between us, because I really have no problem with it," Haley explained. She heard an audible sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad you're alright with this. I mean, the last thing I wanted to do was create a rift in the group, or make you upset. I just..."

"You can't help who you love," Haley said with a knowing smile and a shrug.

"Oh. I'm not...It's...We..." Peyton stuttered.

"OK, calm down," Haley laughed. "I'm not telling you to marry the guy. I can just see that this is more than just a casual relationship, that's all."

"Yeah. It's more than that," Peyton agreed, smiling because she couldn't talk about him without smiling.

"Kind of crazy that we're back where we started, though, right?" Haley asked before taking a sip of her tea.

"I know. It's...totally absurd. Only in Tree Hill," Peyton said with a laugh, making Haley do the same.

They chatted a while longer, both relieved that there was no black cloud hanging over them, and that Peyton and Nathan's relationship hadn't changed their friendship at all. Peyton was thankful that, though she had every right to be, Haley wasn't bothered or hurt by this latest development. She realized that her friend Haley James was one of the most graceful - and gracious - people she'd ever met.

They both turned when they saw Jamie and Nathan coming down the stairs, and they each smiled.

"Hey Jamie," Peyton said happily, watching as the boy ran to her and gave her a hug.

"Come on, buddy, we want to talk to you about something," Nathan offered, pulling his son onto his lap as he sat on a chair across from both his current girlfriend and his ex-wife.

Peyton was nervous for about a minute before Haley started talking, and that maternal and sweet tone put her at ease immediately.

"You remember how we talked about how someday me and your dad would start to go on dates with other people?" she asked delicately, watching as Jamie nodded. "Well, daddy has a new friend."

"Really?" Jamie asked, looking up at his father with wide eyes. "Who?"

"It's Peyton," Nathan explained.

"She's not a _new_ friend," Jamie pointed out, making the adults laugh. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Nathan, Haley and Peyton exchanged glances at how smart this kid was. Clearly they'd underestimated how long it would take him to understand the situation.

"Yeah, she is," Nathan said with a smile.

"OK. I like Peyton," he said with a shrug and a grin.

"Well, she's going to be around the house more now. She might hang out with us sometimes when you stay with me," Nathan added.

"Cool," Jamie said excitedly. "Hey Peyton, you like basketball, right?"

"I love basketball, Jamie," she replied.

"Good. Sometimes girls don't like it. I don't get it," he explained, making them all laugh again.

Yeah, this was an easy kid to love. Peyton was surprised at how well that conversation went, and she could tell by looking at him, that Nathan was, too.

He loved that she cared about Jamie and was completely comfortable around him. He knew that their situation was completely different than most, and he'd actually worried, before he'd started seeing Peyton, that whatever woman he dated would be uneasy around his son, or unsure of whether she wanted to take on that responsibility. But Peyton was different, and he knew it wasn't just because she already knew Jamie. She'd been with Jake when she was a teenager and he had an infant. Nathan came to realize that Peyton was just a strong woman who knew her own heart, and that if she wanted someone, she wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that. She'd take whatever he had to offer and make the absolute best of it. She'd want to tell people that she wasn't an optimist, but Nathan knew otherwise. And he kind of loved that he was the only one who knew that.

Peyton and Nathan left the house a little while later, with his arm around her shoulder and her head resting against him until they got to the car. A song she loved came on the radio, so she turned it up loud, making him laugh at her as she bobbed her head to the music.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" he asked, turning down the radio as they pulled onto his street.

"_You_ need to shower," she insisted eyeing his attire and mussed hair.

"Holy attitude," he scoffed, turning to look at her momentarily.

"You just worked out for like 2 hours!" she pointed out.

"I don't recall you showering this morning, either," he said accusingly.

"So! I didn't just sweat all morning," she said indignantly.

"Well," he said, taking her hand in his, "we could sweat all afternoon and then shower together."

"You're such a pig," she said as she laughed. "Seriously, Nathan."

"I actually thought that was pretty good," he said with a chuckle. "You love showering with me."

"That doesn't mean I need to do it all the time," she scoffed.

"You know you're gonna give in," he said with a cocky smile. "All I have to do is take my shirt off and your eyes'll glaze over like they always do."

"My eyes don't glaze over!" she cried, staring at him as he tried to stifle a laugh. "OK, you know what? This is the dumbest argument ever."

"Look at you, all flustered," he teased. "I didn't even have to strip down."

"I am _so_ not talking to you now!"

"Who says I needed you to talk?" he asked in a low growl as the pulled into his garage.

And the look on her face - one of complete shock and awe - told him that perhaps he'd taken it a step too far.

"You are on thin ice, mister," she warned seriously. "Now, I'm going to curl up on the couch with a book, and you're going to go clean yourself up. Then you're going to make me dinner and try not to be a jackass."

He rolled his eyes as they got out of the car, unabashedly checking her out as she stepped into the house ahead of him. She ignored him as she grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the living room, but he had to stop her.

"Hey," he said, walking quickly to her and reaching for her hand.

"What?" she asked.

"I was just joking," he explained, though they both knew he didn't have to.

"I know," she said with a smile.

He leaned down and kissed her before pulling away from her. She watched him as he made his way up the stairs, pulling his shirt off in the process.

And damn him. She _did_ want to follow him. But she couldn't give in, no matter how sexy he looked with his shorts slung low on his hips and the muscles of his back perfectly on display.

She heard him turn the water on a couple minutes later, and she sat for a few moments, trying to focus on her book. After reading the same sentence three times in a row, she cursed out loud and dropped it onto the coffee table before heading to the stairs. What the hell kind of spell did he have her under?

And what was more interesting than anything, wasn't that she was so drawn to him, it was that he _knew_ her. He knew all the things about her that no one else did. He knew what her reactions to certain things were. He knew when she was laughing sincerely, or faking. He knew that there were a few songs that she could listen to over and over again for literally hours and never get sick of them. He knew that her eyes did, in fact, glaze over when she was lusting after him.

And so when she got to his bedroom, she pulled off her clothes and dropped them on the floor before heading into the bathroom. His back was to her as he stood in the glass shower, but he turned to her with a smirk when he heard the door open. Her arms wrapped around his wet torso and he raised his eyebrow.

"You win," she said right before she kissed him. She felt him smile against her lips.

"I always win, baby," he muttered, making her laugh.

----

As soon as they'd stepped out of the shower, he demanded that she get dressed in something nice, insisting that, since they had gone 'public', he was taking her to dinner.

"Nathan, I don't have nice things here!" she protested. "I have pajamas and a few shirts."

"Peyton, just put something on, OK? You'll look sexy in anything," he said, smirking as he watched her wrap a towel around herself.

"Well, if we stayed here, I could just wear this, and not have to worry about being underdressed," she said with her eyebrow raised, noticing that hungry look in his eye, and fully expecting him to say something suggestive.

"If we stay here, you'd definitely be overdressed in that," he growled, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her. He pressed a kiss below her ear and watched in the mirror as her eyes fluttered closed. He suddenly wondered if he was a fool for insisting they go out.

"OK," she said abruptly. "Get out."

"What?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Get whatever clothes you need and get out. I need time to get ready," she informed him seriously. "And with you in here, all...looking like you do...I'll be totally distracted and we'll never get out of here."

"Knowing you, we'll still never get out of here. I'll probably need a pre-dinner snack so I don't starve while I wait," he teased as he made his way to his closet.

"Wear that red shirt I love!" she called after him.

"Why?" he asked with a smirk, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Because," she said, poking her head into the room to look at him. "It's in your best interest."

"Just say you want me, Sawyer," he said, putting his hands on his hips.

He still had only his towel around his waist, and his hair was still wet. And she couldn't deny it, but she knew they wouldn't be going anywhere if she admitted to it.

"I already _had_ you," she said teasingly, making him laugh. "Red shirt. Chop, chop!"

He did as he was told. Frankly, he was excited to go out with her and act like a proper couple. Everyone who needed to know about them, knew about them, and if anyone else saw them, they'd explain when the time came. He just wanted to sit across from her and talk with her. He wanted to actually be her boyfriend, instead of just calling himself that and having their relationship exist almost entirely within the confines of his house.

He was sitting on the sofa with his elbows on his knees, watching the second quarter of a random basketball game when he heard her coming down the stairs. He turned to look at her as he stood and turned off the TV, and he knew that it was his eyes glazing over this time.

"Wow," was all he could manage as she stood in front of him.

Her hair was swept up off her back in a way he'd never seen her wear it, and her makeup was perfect. But what killed him was that she'd managed to take the most simple black dress he'd ever seen in his life, and make it look absolutely amazing. It was just a knee-length dress that hugged her curves, with thin straps. He was sure he'd seen other women wear similar things over the years, but none of them carried it like this. She had on a pair of black heels and a silver necklace, both of which he'd seen several times.

"Nathan," she said softly, growing uncomfortable beneath his gaze.

"Peyton," he whispered as he smiled. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you," she said demurely.

Dinner went smoothly. She stole bites of food off his plate, and he laughed and told her that only certain people were allowed to do that, and she was lucky she was one of them. When she offered him a piece of her chocolate dessert, she repeated the same sentiment. He took her hand across the table, because he could. He unabashedly watched her walk away as she made her way to the washroom, because he could. He leaned in and whispered something flirty in her ear as they were leaving, because he could.

It was just after 9:00 when they pulled out of the parking lot of the restaurant, but instead of driving towards his house, he went in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" Peyton asked confusedly.

"You'll see," he said with a smirk, taking her hand in his once again.

"Nathan, I hate surprises," she complained.

"I know. Just trust me," he said reassuringly.

"If you pull out a blindfold, I swear I'm never speaking to you again," she warned with a serious look on her face.

"No blindfold. Just relax, alright?"

They wove through familiar streets and past old houses she used to frequent. Brooke's, Tim's, Teresa's, Bevin's. And then Nathan pulled up to the house he grew up in, and she looked at him in complete confusion.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, stepping out of the car as he held open the door for her. He took a set of keys out of his pocket and took her hand.

"Mom never sold it. She moved into a smaller place, but kept this one," he explained, turning the key in the lock and pushing the door open.

"OK. So why is it sitting here empty, and what are we doing here?" she asked, stepping through the door and reaching for his hand frantically.

It was creepy, she decided. All the same furniture sat in all the same places as it had years ago, but there were no lights, as the power had obviously not been on in years. He closed the door behind them and wrapped her in his arms.

"I want to show you something," he said softly. "Come on."

They walked to the kitchen and he produced a flashlight from one of the cupboards. He hadn't really thought it out before he took her there, but he wanted to show her a few things that he knew she wasn't aware of.

He led her up the stairs and to the room that used to be his. When he and Haley moved back in with the baby, they moved to a bigger room with an ensuite bathroom, but his childhood room was virtually untouched.

"Sordid memories in here, Nate," she said teasingly.

"This was the place where I asked you to be my girlfriend when we were 15," he explained.

"Awww. Our first fight," she said with a smile, sitting down on the bed.

"You almost made me change my mind," he said with a laugh, making her slap him on the chest as he sat next to her.

"Honestly?" she asked incredulously. "We'd been dating for a few weeks, making out like crazy, doing everything together, and you hadn't pieced together that I was pretty much already your girlfriend."

"Come on, you know how I was," he said.

"Yeah. A jackass," she stated with a laugh.

"You still agreed to be my girlfriend, though," he pointed out smugly. "You remember what you said that night?"

"I just remember there was a lot of yelling," she explained.

"You said that I was a great guy and you could see that even though I did things that showed I wasn't," he said softly. "Other than my mom, you were the first one to ever see that in me."

"I was right," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I know you were," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Come on."

"What now? Seriously, this is so creepy, Nathan," she said worriedly as he pulled her up by the hand.

"Hey," he said, standing in front of her and placing his hands on her arms. "First of all, you have nothing to worry about. Second of all, I wouldn't let anything happen to you, OK? Ever."

He kissed her forehead, wove his fingers with hers, and led her back down the stairs into the living room. He pulled a box from one of the cabinets and they sat on the sofa.

"My mom kept all these, even though I told her not to," he said with a chuckle.

In the box were at least 75 photographs of the two of them together, spanning from their freshman year to their senior year. There were photos of them before, during, and after they dated. There were a couple that were taken when both Nathan and Peyton were with other people, and she didn't even know when those photos had been snapped. Apparently, Deb had been taking photos of the two of them without their knowledge.

"Nathan..."

"I know," he said. "She showed me this a couple weeks ago."

"Are you serious? I mean, I was with Lucas when this was taken," she pointed out, holding up a photo of them a few days before graduation. "You were married."

"I told her about us," he explained. He hadn't told her that yet, and the look on her face was questioning why he hadn't. "She asked me what had me smiling, and I said you."

"Oh God," she sighed. "What'd she say to that?"

"She squealed like a little girl," he said with a laugh. "Then she told me to meet her here, and she showed me these pictures. She said she always thought there was more to our relationship when we were younger than either of us let on."

"Wow," she said with wide eyes. "I always did like your mom. Your dad, I couldn't stand."

"Ugh," he groaned. "He was always so pervy with you and Brooke. It made me so mad."

"Considering you just about punched anyone who looked at me, I'm not surprised," she said, laughing at the memory.

"Come on," he said incredulously. "People should have known that my girl wasn't to be gawked at."

"So possessive," she teased, leaning in to kiss him quickly. She'd secretly always loved that about him.

"OK. That's all for show and tell," he said, picking up the box. "I want to keep these, though. I think we should put a couple up in the house."

"When did you get so romantic?" she asked.

"Right around the time I started dating you," he said softly, smiling before he kissed her. They both stood and began walking towards the door.

If there was anything she learned that evening, it was that her and Nathan's relationship obviously had meant something more than they'd known at the time, and that Deb Scott was far more perceptive than most gave her credit for. And that Peyton was definitely in love with Nathan.

"Nate," she called, making him turn around and look at her.

_I love you_. It's not hard to say. Three little words. But she froze and when he smiled at her, silently asking her to finish, she couldn't say exactly what she wanted to.

"I'm falling in love with you, too," she said softly.

That was all it took for him to sweep her into his arms and kiss her in a way that left them both breathless.

She really, really wished she could have said the words. She knew that the ones she'd used had obviously made him happy, and that she definitely didn't need to say more, or admit that she was completely in love with him, but a part of her felt like she was lying to her heart by not saying them out loud. What put her at ease, was that she knew they'd get there eventually.


	11. Chapter 11

That week was insanely busy for both Nathan and Peyton. She had various meetings, and he was working with a trainer four times a week. Three of her label's artists were in town needing her attention, which meant long hours in the studio and in her office.

Monday night, she got roped into helping host Tric's open mic night. Owen usually had that job, but apparently after his breakup with Brooke, he'd decided to head up to Wisconsin to hang out with family and 'heal'. Chase was managing the bar and had begged Peyton to just help him out that one time. Of course, she couldn't say no when his tone was that frantic and pleading. Nathan was too tired that night from his workout, and she told him not to come, since she regrettably wouldn't have time to spend with him anyway.

Tuesday night she spent relaxing, knowing that Nathan was with Jamie. She and Brooke had dinner and did laundry and just caught up. They'd both been so busy that they'd missed out on the time they usually spent together. It was a much needed girls night during which they gossiped and laughed and talked about Peyton's 'new' boyfriend. They felt like teenagers again, if only for one evening.

Wednesday evening, Peyton and Nathan had dinner with Deb. And since she was Deb and she was never a shy one, they told her the _actual_ story about how their relationship started, and she just smiled and laughed and said she thought that was perfect. She didn't ask questions about Lucas or Haley, because she could tell just by looking at her son and his girlfriend that there were no other people on their minds. They were clearly taken with each other and committed, and she knew that neither of those 'kids' would have gotten involved with someone if they had any doubts whatsoever.

"My mom loves you," Nathan said that night as they lay in his bed, her cuddled into his side and complaining of the cold.

"What can I say? I'm good with moms," she said simply, brushing off the comment.

"No. It's different with you," he insisted. "Like, she told me she always thought you were too good for me."

"She did _not_ tell you that," Peyton said harshly.

"Yes, she did," he laughed. "She's right."

"Nathan, come on," she pleaded. "Don't say things like that."

"You really don't understand how amazing you are, do you?" he asked, completely in awe of her inability to see herself how everyone else saw her.

"Stop it," she said softly. "You're making me self-conscious."

"I'm trying to do the opposite," he said, pulling away from her and propping himself up on his elbow. "Can you just take a compliment?"

She just looked up at him as the dim light coming through the windows cast shadows on his face. She didn't want him to ever think he wasn't good enough for her. She admired him for so many different reasons, and he was the only one who couldn't see that, not really. Sure, he put up a confident front, and he was confident, but he had insecurities that he only let her see. She kind of loved that about him.

"Nathan, I..." _I love you_. Just say it, she thought. "I really don't want you to feel that way. You're perfect for me."

"You're perfect for me, too," he muttered as he lay back down and pulled her close to him again. He knew there was no use in arguing with her. "Goodnight, Peyton."

"'Night," she said absently, her mind racing until sleep took over.

She was in over her head, and she was loving every second.

----

As she was getting ready for work the next morning, they were carrying on their typical flirtatious banter. She stepped out of the bathroom to see him laying in bed, as usual, shirtless and relaxed, while she ran around, gathering her things and fastening her jewelry. That particular morning, she was wearing a green wrap dress and, he noticed, his favourite shoes of hers; the black ones that made her legs look impossibly long.

"You look sexy," he observed.

She walked over and sat next to him like she usually did, and ran her hand through his hair.

"I wish I could stay with you today," she confessed, smiling down at him.

"Me too. But you've got Mia today, right?" he asked, watching as she nodded. "And I have the trainer this morning and Jamie tonight."

"OK," she said, standing and reaching for the last of her things. "Listen, I'm probably gonna stay home tonight, but how about Friday night?"

"I have Jamie this weekend," he reminded her. "But why don't you come over anyway? Spend the weekend with us."

"Are you sure?" she asked with a smile, watching as he nodded. "I'd love to."

"Good. So I'll talk to you tonight. Oh, and Luke and Lindsey want to have dinner with us soon. How's Sunday?" he asked.

"Um...yeah," she said absently as she rummaged through her bag for her keys. "That sounds perfect."

She leaned down to kiss him and mumbled a goodbye against his lips, and then she was gone.

He loved these mornings with her, but he hated that they had to schedule in time with each other. He wanted her around him all the time, and he didn't want to have to worry about her leaving to get things at her own house or her being worried about how she should act in his home. She was always just a little concerned that she was taking up too much space or she was looking at things she shouldn't be, no matter how much he tried to convince her that neither was possible. He wanted her there. He wondered if she'd move in if he asked her to. Yes, it was early in their relationship, but she was there most of the time anyway, and they'd each admitted they were falling for the other.

He battled with the thought until he looked at the clock again and realized he needed to get a start on his day. He'd just have to wait to see her again. He kind of hated that, too.

----

That Saturday morning, after an evening of shopping for some new things for Jamie and watching a movie on the sofa with her two favourite boys, Peyton woke up to the smell of coffee and breakfast wafting up the stairs. She pulled on a sweatshirt and threw her hair into a ponytail before heading down to see what was going on.

"Well, well," Nathan said happily as she stepped into the kitchen, still wiping her eyes. "Look who's up."

"Peyton, we're making breakfast!" Jamie said excitedly. "Pancakes and bacon and some potato things that daddy said you like."

"Mmm," she mumbled with a smile as she took the coffee cup that Nathan had extended to her. He shot her a wink and turned back to the stove. "It smells amazing. Thanks, boys."

"How come you slept so late?" Jamie asked innocently as she took the seat next to him at the counter.

"It's Saturday," she explained with a laugh. "Saturdays are my sleep in days."

"Every day would be your sleep in day if you had your way," Nathan scoffed.

"Well, I can't have my way, so on Saturdays, I sleep in as late as I can," she said, turning back to Jamie.

"Me and dad usually go to the River Court on Saturdays," he explained, looking to Nathan with hopeful eyes.

"Jamie, you know you can't go today," Nathan said somewhat sadly. "You've been sick and you can't be out in the cold."

"I hate being sick," he complained.

"You know you're not supposed to say that word, either," Nathan laughed.

"Nathan, if you need to play today, Jamie and I can hang out here," she offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You don't have to do that," he insisted, setting plates in front of both Jamie and Peyton before fixing his own.

"Come on!" Jamie said excitedly. "It'll be fun!"

"You want to stay here for a bit?" Nathan asked almost skeptically. He glanced at Peyton and he could see that her heart was melting at how thrilled Jamie was at the prospect of spending time alone with her.

"Sure. Me and Peyton can stay here and you can go work on your game," Jamie said with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Whoa. That's seriously gross, buddy," Nathan laughed. "Swallow first, talk second."

"Come on Nate. Go work on your game," Peyton said teasingly, laughing when he rolled his eyes.

"You know what? I think I might," he said, smiling.

He loved that Peyton clearly wanted to spend time with Jamie one-on-one. Obviously, the two of them knew each other well, having spent a lot of time around one another in the year prior, but this was different, and he suspected they all, including the 6 year old, knew that.

They finished their breakfast and Nathan went upstairs to change into his workout clothes while Peyton tidied the kitchen and Jamie got dressed. She changed into a pair of jeans and a simple tee shirt and then Nathan said his quick goodbyes and headed out the door.

"So, 'Lil Scott, what do you want to do?" Peyton asked, plopping down on the couch as he sat on the floor in the living room.

"Want to play NBA Live?" he asked, his eyes alight with excitement.

"OK," she laughed. "But I am not going to be good at it."

"That's alright. I'll just win, then," he said, shrugging his shoulders and making her laugh.

"Wow, you aren't like your daddy at all, are you?" she teased. Jamie had certainly inherited Nathan's competitive nature.

"Mommy says I'm like dad, but dad says I'm like mommy," he pointed out confusedly, looking up at her with those big blue eyes.

"That just means that you've got all the best pieces of both of them," she said, speaking sincerely and making the boy smile.

The two of them must have played for at least two hours, with Jamie showing her tricks and teaching her all the little things that would help her win. Of course, she didn't, but she was certainly better than she thought she'd be. It shouldn't have surprised her that the two of them got along so well, but it did. She was worried that he'd think she was trying too hard or replacing his mom, but that just wasn't the case. She basically wanted to be a friend to him, just the kind of friend that enforced rules and looked out for him. After that morning they spent together, laughing and playing together, she learned that was the best approach.

After lunch, Jamie and Peyton were drawing happily at the coffee table in Nathan's living room. She did a few outlines in her black sketching pens, and Jamie would fill in the colour or make suggestions of things to add to the scenes. He was just putting the finishing touches on a very cool picture they'd both put effort into, and the doorbell rang.

Jamie looked up at her, as though they were both wondering who would be coming over at that time of day; all their friends knew that most of Nathan's Saturday mornings were spent at the River Court. The two of them walked to the door, but when Peyton saw that familiar black SUV through the window, she knew she needed to keep Jamie away from the door.

"Hey buddy, why don't you go brush those teeth?" Peyton said, just as they were about to pass the stairs. "You should always brush your teeth after you eat."

"Do I have to?" Jamie whined.

"Yes, you do," she laughed. "Now go on, OK? And make sure you get them all."

Jamie rolled his eyes, but smiled, and his little legs carried him up the stairs and into the bathroom down the hall.

When she pulled open the door, she was sure only to open it enough that her body was wedged between it and the frame. The way he looked at her just about made her skin crawl, though she was sure that would have happened no matter what.

"Miss Sawyer. It's nice to see you," he said, in what she assumed was mock sincerity.

"Can I _help_ you?" she asked curtly.

"I guess we're skipping the pleasantries," he said with a smirk.

"Cut the crap, Dan," she warned.

"You know, most people call me Mr. Scott," he pointed out.

This side of him wouldn't work on Peyton, and they both knew that. She wasn't going to give an inch. She knew that Nathan and Haley had only let Jamie see Dan once since he got out of prison, and that was because the boy had begged. That wasn't about to change now; not on her watch.

"Well, _Mr_. is a sign of respect," she said with a sickeningly sweet fake smile.

Her words changed something in his demeanor, as though she'd reminded him of all the things he'd done wrong to put himself in that position anyway. She saw what she thought might be remorse in his eyes, and it was unnerving because she'd never really seen him show any emotion at all.

"Is Nathan here?" he asked quietly, attempting fruitlessly to peer around her.

"No," she said coldly.

"Well, can you tell him I stopped by?" he inquired.

"No," she repeated, laughing bitterly as she raised her brow.

"Peyton," he said pleadingly, "I just heard through the grapevine that he was going to a combine. I was hoping to help him with his game."

"Well stop hoping," she said softly. "He doesn't need your help."

"Can't a father want to spend time with his son?" he asked delicately.

"Not when that father _ruined_ any and all chances of spending time with his _sons_." She emphasized the last word to remind him that indeed, he had two sons who had cut him out.

She noticed his face change once again at that statement, but this time, that sinister smirk came back, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever hated him more.

"You always were my favourite," he said sincerely. "I like that you're protective over him. He needs that."

She rolled her eyes because it felt like the best thing to do. Dan Scott's charm would be lost on her, and she suspected that he knew that as well as she did. Maybe that's why he'd said it in the first place. Maybe it wasn't charm, and instead it was the truth. But his truth meant nothing to her, and she knew they both knew that too.

"He doesn't need that," she insisted. Nathan was the strongest man she knew; he certainly didn't need her watching over him. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to.

"Every man needs that, Peyton," he said, smirking again. "Just...Promise me you'll look out for him."

It was a promise he didn't need to hear or get confirmation of to know she'd do it. But she sighed and looked away before meeting his eyes again and nodding gently. He gave her a genuine smile before turning and walking down the steps.

She closed the door, wondering how she was going to tell Nathan that Dan had shown up at his house. Of course, she'd told Dan she wouldn't mention that he stopped by, and she briefly contemplated just keeping it to herself, but she couldn't do that. She couldn't, and wouldn't, keep anything from Nathan.

"Who was it, Peyton?" Jamie asked, bounding down the stairs to join her in the foyer.

"Just someone looking for charity," she said with a smile she knew the boy wouldn't see was tense or fake.

And that statement was the truth.

----

That night, after they'd put Jamie to bed, the two of them were on the sofa, with her reading the latest issue of _Rolling Stone_, and him laying with his legs over her lap, tossing a basketball repeatedly into the air. Of course, she knew that's what he always did when he was completely lost in thought.

"What?" she asked, eyes still fixed on her page.

"What?"

He knew it annoyed the hell out of her when he did that. She'd thought that by now, he'd realize that when she asked him that question in those situations, that he should just tell her what was going on, because she was going to get it out of him anyway. She closed her magazine and dropped it onto her lap, turning to look at him imploringly, letting him know that he wasn't going to get away with avoiding her question.

"I was just thinking how things are going so well," he explained. "Like, everything. You and me, Jamie, all our friends, basketball. Things are really good right now."

"Yeah," she said softly, her mind wandering as she wondered both when things were going to go wrong, and how she was going to tell him about the visit she got that afternoon.

"OK, what's wrong?" he asked. "Is this the part where you tell me something really bad has happened?"

"No!" she insisted. "OK...it's not really bad, but it's something."

"Tell me," he pleaded encouragingly.

"Something happened today that...well it's going to make you mad," she explained delicately.

"What? Something with Jamie?" he asked worriedly, sitting up and putting his feet on the floor.

"No!" she said quickly. "Nothing. He wasn't even there for it." She realized that these little clues were hindering, not helping, her to explain her story. "Dan came by today."

"What? When?" he asked angrily.

"After lunch. He said he wanted to help you with your game," she said, looking at him and trying to judge his reaction.

"What did you say?" he inquired.

"I told him that you didn't need his help," she said, as though that was the most obvious answer to his question. "He asked me to tell you he came, but I said I wouldn't...but that was mostly just to make him mad."

"Why would you do that?" he asked, squinting. He tried not to appear angry, but he didn't think he could do it.

"You don't need him!" she insisted. "You haven't needed him since you were a teenager, Nate. You should know that by now."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I mean why would you talk to him like that?"

"What was I supposed to do? Just act like he was still the same guy that people used to respect and look up to? Hell no!" she said in defense of her actions.

"Peyton, don't get all scary, OK?" he insisted with a smile. "I just don't really want you pissing off a convicted murderer."

"Dan Scott does _not_ want to mess with me," she said with a cocked brow and a serious tone.

"Look, don't go trying to be a hero, alright? I don't want you anywhere near that guy," he said.

"I didn't seek him out!" she pointed out. "He came here. I didn't let him in the house, and I made sure Jamie was upstairs."

He smiled at her protective nature when it came to his son, because what else could he do? Her worry about Jamie had always been endearing, but now it made his heart swell because he was starting to get the sense that she loved his little boy more than she was letting on. After Jamie's excited retelling of the entire day they shared, Nathan knew his son was crazy about Peyton as well.

"What else did he say?" he asked, taking her hand in his.

"He said that I was always his favourite."

"Fucking perv," he muttered.

"Nate, he didn't mean it like that," she laughed. She didn't like Dan in the least, and Nathan's jealousy and concern was definitely sexy, but she didn't want to be misleading on account of either of those things.

"He probably did," he said with a tilt of his head. "I love that you want to make this seem like nothing, but I really don't want him showing up here. I don't want him around you or Jamie or...anyone. What if he'd tried something? What if he'd forced his way inside?"

"Nathan," she said softly, resting her free hand on his forearm. "I really got the impression that he just wanted to talk to you. I think he misses you."

"Too bad!" he said angrily. "He should have thought about that before he _shot_ my uncle!"

"I'm not defending him," she said adamantly, trying to calm him. "Trust me, I'd be just fine with never seeing him again. I don't want you worrying about me."

He just looked at her in complete confusion, wondering how she could ever think that he _wouldn't_ worry about her.

"It's my job to worry about you," he said, watching as she rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. You're my girl, OK? Other than Jamie, you are the one I'm going to worry about and protect with everything I have."

And she would have loved to scoff and shake her head and tell him that she could take care of herself, but she simply couldn't. It had been a long time since she had a protector; someone who would watch over her and step in when needed. She'd always loved that about Nathan, even when they were merely friends. He'd protect the people he loved to the end.

"You're lucky Jamie's here," she said in a low voice as she moved so she could take her place, snuggling against his side.

"Why's that?" he asked, in fear that perhaps she'd scream at him for implying that she couldn't take care of herself.

"Because talking like that makes me want...," she said, unable to finish when she looked up and saw him raise one eyebrow. "Yeah."

"Yeah," he sighed, laughing. "You know, I really like having you here."

"Well, I like being here," she said with a smile.

"So why don't you be here permanently?" he suggested quietly.

She pulled away from him again to take in the look on his face, just to ensure that he was serious. He apparently was.

"What?" she asked pointlessly.

"Move in," he said simply.

"Nathan..."

"I know it's soon and everything, but I hate that you have to split time between your place and here," he explained. "It'd be easier if you were just here all the time."

"I can't just do that to Brooke," she insisted. "And we haven't even been together two months. I just...I don't know."

"Think about it," he requested. "The offer stands."

Of all the things she expected from him, she hadn't expected that. She did love his home and being there with him and sharing a bed with him, but their relationship was moving at lightening speed and she wasn't sure yet if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But she loved him, even if he didn't know that yet, and the thought of living with him was making her heart race. It somehow felt like that was the right thing to do; the way it should be. She just didn't know if it was the right timing. They'd get there eventually.

He wasn't surprised that she hadn't said yes straight away. Everyone knew that Peyton wasn't one to just jump into something head and heart first. That she'd even admitted that she was falling for him was a bit of a shock to him. But he'd wanted to ask her to move in, and he did it, and now it was up to her. She knew how he felt and whether she decided she wanted to live with him the next day or three months down the road, it was OK.

He wasn't going anywhere.


	12. Chapter 12

Sunday, after dropping Jamie off at Haley's place, Peyton and Nathan went to meet Lucas and Lindsey at a restaurant in town for dinner. All day, Nathan could tell Peyton was nervous, though he really didn't think she had any reason to be. Sure, it might be a little awkward for a few minutes, but he was sure that everything would go smoothly.

When they pulled up to the restaurant and noticed Lucas' car already in the parking lot, Peyton took a deep breath and Nathan turned off the engine, turning to her and giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Peyton, calm down, OK?" he requested.

"I'm calm!" she said quickly. As soon as the words were out of her mouth and she heard her own tone, they both started to laugh.

"It's going to be fine. It's just Luke and Lindsey," he said, brushing his thumb over her knuckles.

"I know. It just kind of feels like I'm meeting your family for the first time, you know?" she admitted. "It's crazy, I'm aware."

"It's not crazy," he insisted. "Besides, I'm pretty sure my brother will _love_ you."

She sent him a disapproving glare that made him wince.

"Too soon?" he asked, turning to meet her gaze.

"Honey, I don't think that joke will ever be appreciated," she said with a smile, patting him gently on the cheek. She took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. "OK, Scott. Let's do this."

She hopped out of the car and smoothed out her dress, as she waited for him to join her at the back of the car.

"I love this dress," he said with a smile as he took her hand in his.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"You know why," he muttered. But she stopped in her tracks and made him turn to look at her. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"I like Romantic Nathan," she said coyly, smiling up at him.

"Romantic Nathan doesn't like to make appearances in public places," he grumbled, but she just raised an eyebrow as she waited for his real answer. "This is the dress you were wearing the first night we got together. I mean, the second first time."

She wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned in to kiss him, making him let out a low moan when he felt her nip at his bottom lip.

"See? It pays to bring Romantic Nathan out sometimes," she said with a smile as she took his hand again.

"Apparently," he agreed as they made their way towards the restaurant.

Once inside, they were shown to their table to see Lucas and Lindsey already seated and sipping water.

"Making out in the parking lot, huh?" Lucas asked with a grin, pointing to the window as Nathan pulled out Peyton's chair for her. "Nice move, little brother."

"Lucas," Lindsey scolded, "don't tease them."

Peyton just rolled her eyes and said her hellos while Nathan smiled triumphantly, as though he was actually happy that they'd been caught. And to be honest, he kind of was. She wasn't embarrassed, and neither was he. He had a beautiful, amazing girlfriend and he wanted people to see him happy. He was more than just 'falling' for the girl sitting to his right. He was pretty sure he had already fallen completely.

"So," Lindsey started after they'd ordered drinks, "Tell us how this all started. And not the abridged version, either."

Peyton glanced at Nathan and he gestured for her to start talking, knowing she was better and more eloquent at telling the story. Or so he thought.

"Well, I was at that seedy bar not far from his neighbourhood, and in walks this arrogant guy who plants himself next to me and insists on buying me a drink," she said dramatically, making Nathan laugh. "We just, well, drank together and danced a bit and...things went from there."

"So you hooked up at a bar?" Lindsey asked with a smile. "That's so funny!"

"You danced?" Lucas asked, making Peyton laugh since Brooke had found that part a little unbelievable, too.

"And then the next night at Tric, she comes up with this plan to get us away from everyone..." Nathan continued, ignoring his brother's question.

"Wait, that's why you two left together?" Lucas asked with a furrowed brow. "Wow. We were all clueless."

"And it wasn't me who came up with the plan. It was James Bond over here," Peyton explained, looking at Nathan pointedly as she squeezed his knee beneath the table.

"After that it was a pretty perfectly orchestrated series of secrets," Nathan said with a laugh.

"So not even Brooke knew?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"She knew there was someone, but she didn't know that someone was Nathan," Peyton informed him.

"I just thought you girls were past keeping secrets," Lucas said honestly. The look his wife gave him let him know that perhaps referring to his love triangle with two other women wasn't the best idea.

"We are past it. But she's also past pressing me for information when she knows that I like to keep things private," Peyton said seriously. She knew that everyone at the table would know that statement was the truth, but that it was also a warning to Lucas that he might want to do the same.

"So yeah, we've been pretty inseparable," Nathan said after a few moments, in an attempt to break the mounting tension "I took her away for the weekend when I went to the Duke game, and we just spend as much time as possible together."

"Damn. I wanted to go to that game so bad," Lucas said with a laugh.

"Well, I had a _way_ better time with her than I would have had with you," Nathan said, grinning as he looked at his girlfriend. She was blushing and shaking her head.

"So how's the label doing?" Lindsey asked with interest after they'd ordered and the brothers jumped into their own conversation.

Save for the brief moment of complete discomfort, the evening went smoothly. Far smoother than Peyton expected it to. She knew no one was judging her, and she had been able to tell right away that Lindsey didn't feel threatened or possessive at all over Lucas. Probably because one look at the couple before her had told her that she had nothing to worry about. Peyton was over Lucas and had clearly moved on, and if she'd had any lingering doubts, they were erased quickly.

"Your brother's an ass sometimes," Peyton said out of nowhere as they were driving home. Nathan could only laugh in response. "What?"

"Well first of all, I thought you would have known that by now. And second of all, who would have thought that you'd be saying that about _him_ someday while you were dating _me_?" he asked with a grin. She just rolled her eyes and he turned back to the road. "Are you still pissed about that comment about you and Brooke keeping secrets?"

"I'm not pissed, I'm annoyed," she clarified. "I just think it's funny how he thinks that he still knows me. He obviously doesn't."

"I'm OK with that," Nathan muttered.

"Nate..."

"I know," he conceded. "It just kind of makes me nervous that he can still affect you like this."

"Hey," she said, taking his hand in hers. "It wouldn't have mattered who said it, it still would have bugged me."

"Alright," he said as he drove into his garage. He knew better than to question her, because he was the one taking her home. "You want to go for a walk?"

"It's late and it's cold, but sure," she said as she stepped out of the car.

He took her hand and they headed toward the beach. She stopped to take off her shoes and drop them on his porch as they walked past, and he draped his jacket over her shoulders. When she protested, he insisted that Romantic Nathan didn't let his girl freeze on moonlit walks.

"So, the beach always seemed like kind of a 'Naley' thing," she pointed out after five minutes of dead silence.

"Different beach," he said. "And that was the only time we really came near the water."

"Nathan, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." she started, shaking her head as her face held a grimace.

"Stop it," he insisted, smiling as he pulled her closer to him, draping his arm around her shoulder. "You don't have to apologize for anything, alright?"

"What if I pushed you into the water right now?" she sang teasingly, looking up at him.

He really was a beautiful man. Somehow, the way the light was hitting his face, it made his features stand out. His strong jaw and those blue eyes, contrasted with his dark hair, and she wanted to drag him back to the house. She wondered how it was that she'd ended up with him. She felt like a high school girl again, dating the star basketball player that all the other girls wanted.

"I'd like to see you try," he scoffed. "And I don't think you'd want to give your boyfriend pneumonia and then have to nurse him back to health." She swatted his chest and laughed. "Although, I can't say I'd hate the attention."

"Yeah," she laughed. "Nathan Scott has never been one to turn away from the spotlight."

"You are just _full_ of insults tonight!" he said indignantly.

"Oh God!" she cried. "I'm being such a bitch. I'm sorry!"

"Peyton, if you apologize to me one more time..."

"Sorr....Right. OK," she laughed when he looked at her with a raised brow.

She pulled away from him, tossed his jacket at him and took off towards the water, looking back at him over her shoulder as he stood there, completely confused and wondering what she was doing.

"Peyton!" he shouted when she ran shin-deep into the water. "It's freezing!"

She continued to walk and play in the water, careful not to go any deeper, and ignoring what he was saying.

"Shit. Crazy woman," he muttered, walking closer to the water and kicking off his shoes and socks, rolling up his pants. He stepped closer to her, wincing when the frigid water nipped at his ankles. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"I didn't say I'd push you _physically_ into the water," she teased, laughing as he let out a breath and shook his head.

"Are you nuts? You're going to make yourself sick!" he countered.

She moved away from him a little further and spun around, and he watched the skirt of her dress sway. He had to admit, this was pretty damn sexy; just the two of them on the beach late at night, the moon and stars above them, and her twirling in the water. He stopped to admire her for a moment.

"Well, then my big, strong boyfriend would have to take care of me," she said with a flirty smile as she reached for his hand and pulled him closer to her.

"And if we both get sick?" he asked, resting his hands on her hips.

"Then we stay in bed and eat soup and cuddle until we get better," she said, shrugging her shoulders and making him laugh.

"Only you could make being sick sound so damn good," he admitted, leaning down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck when he tried to pull away, and kissed him again. After they'd parted, her forehead rest against his. "Come on. The tide's coming in."

"So what?" she asked in a low voice that made him need to take a deep breath.

He swept her up into his arms bridal style and, despite her adorable half-hearted squeals asking that he put her down, he carried her to the shore, only putting her down so he could pick up his things.

"You're crazy, you know that?" he asked with a smile as he handed her his jacket again.

"Come on! That was so fun," she insisted.

"That water is like, below freezing," he pointed out, pulling her against him again as they walked back towards his house.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" she asked.

"It tends to stay on dry land," he mumbled. She leaned up to kiss him quickly before clutching his arm as they walked back to the house in complete, comfortable silence.

As soon as they were inside, Peyton headed straight for the stairs while Nathan locked the doors and set the alarm, and when he entered the bedroom, he saw her buried beneath the covers, and she'd pulled extra blankets onto the bed.

"Cold?" he asked with a smirk as he leaned against the door frame.

"I'm freezing," she admitted, making him laugh.

"Maybe that's what happens when you take a midnight frolic in the ocean," he offered, laughing as she shivered.

"Maybe instead of telling me why I'm cold, you could, oh, I don't know, warm me up?" she suggested. She watched him unbutton his shirt and step out of his pants, then he crawled into bed with her and she slung her leg over his.

"Your feet are freezing, baby," he laughed.

"Stop complaining," she mumbled.

"Tired?" he asked before pressing one last kiss to her forehead.

"Mhmm."

He just held her until she drifted to sleep, which didn't take long, and he couldn't shake the feeling that their evening and impromptu partial dip in the ocean in the moonlight would have been the perfect opportunity to tell her that he loved her. He knew it'd only been a few days since he told her he was falling in love with her, but he was definitely in deep. Deeper than he wanted to admit, and deeper than he suspected she was ready to hear.

----

Monday after work, Peyton was driving home, and as she passed the high school, she noticed Nathan's SUV in the parking lot. He had told her that morning that he'd be working out later in the day, but she had just assumed he'd be at the River Court, not inside the high school. She pulled into the parking lot and headed towards the gym door before even really thinking about what she was doing.

As soon as she'd stepped into the hall, she heard the unmistakable echo of the ball bouncing on the hardwood, and she was brought back to the point in her life when she would have heard that noise each and every day. She stood in the doorway just watching him work for a few minutes. He threw up shot after shot, each of them dropping through the basket, and dribbled as though he was being defended by an entire team.

He'd just sent up a shot and was watching it sink through the mesh when he noticed her. She stepped forward, caught his rebound and passed the ball back to him.

"Don't bother showering tonight," she said in a cheeky tone with a hint of seriousness.

"Very funny, Sawyer," he said with a grin, trying to catch his breath as he made his way towards her.

"You look good," she complimented, watching as he placed on hand on his hip and wiped his forehead with the bottom of his shirt.

"I feel like trash," he replied honestly.

"What are you talking about?" she asked worriedly, furrowing her brow.

"I don't know if I can do this," he admitted. "I have no stamina, my strength is down, my timing's off...I just...don't know if I can do this."

"Nathan Scott," she reprimanded, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to look her in the eye. "You _are_ doing this."

"Peyton..."

"You are. And you are being too hard on yourself. I know that's how you work - you tear yourself down to fuel yourself to be better. I just don't want you to kill yourself doing wind sprints or whatever the hell it is that you do," she finished with a smile, moving her hands to his shoulders. "Don't you get it? You're doing it already, and I don't care if you don't make the team. I know it's a huge deal and everything, but you know that just being able to play at all is kind of a miracle at this point."

"I know," he said softly, resting his hands on her hips. "I just don't want to disappoint anyone."

"Who?" she asked. "Jamie? Me?"

"Well, yeah," he admitted, looking downward.

"Nathan, do you know what Jamie said to me the other day?" she inquired, an adorable half-smirk playing on her lips. "He said that his daddy was the best ball player in the world, and that he loves when he gets to watch you."

"Peyt..."

"He doesn't care if you only ever play here or at the River Court," she continued. "And neither do I. He just loves you and loves that you can play with him. You're already a star to him, OK?"

"It's just hard for me not to be the best," he said, smiling at her. "I mean, I've only ever been the best. I know that makes me sound like a jackass."

"No it doesn't. It's the truth," she said with a laugh. "You're not used to being anything less than the best. And that's what I love about you."

She'd said the words before she could stop herself, and immediately, she got a sinking feeling in her stomach that she'd said far too much. But he didn't look at her like she was crazy, and he didn't pull away from her, and he didn't run scared. So she just brushed past it.

"You can be the best if you stop thinking you're _not_ the best," she finished. "If that makes sense."

He just stood for a moment, wondering how she had all the perfect words; how she knew exactly how to make him feel better about himself and believe in himself again. Of course, playing the Jamie card helped.

"How'd I find you?" he asked in awe.

"You sure that's a story you want to get into right now?" she teased, making him laugh.

"Listen, I'm gonna work for a bit longer. Why don't you go home and wait for me?" he suggested, smirking in that way that always told her he had one thing on his mind.

"It's like, 6:00," she said.

"Your point?" he asked. He went to pull her against him, but she placed her hands on his chest to stop him and he remembered how sweaty he was.

"And what home are you referring to?" she asked quietly.

"My home," he clarified. "That could be your home. Not that there's any pressure."

She smiled up at him and his not-so-subtle reminder that she could live with him if she wanted to. And she did want to. She just didn't want to rush into anything and then have everything change on her again. She wanted their relationship to have deeper roots before making that leap. But, she thought, she was already spending almost all her time there anyway, and she really did like the place. And the man who lived there.

"Alright. Give me your key," she insisted, holding out her hand expectantly.

He grabbed his keys from his bag as it sat on the bleachers and placed his house key in her hand.

"Stop and make a copy on the way. You should have one of these," he said with a smile.

"Pretty persistent, Mr. Scott," she teased, putting the key in her pocket. "OK. I'll make the key. And if you call me on the way home, I'll have a hot bath ready for you, and just maybe I'll join you. I mean, if you play your cards right."

She was playing with the bottom of his shirt and her hands grazed his stomach, and he almost forgot about his workout completely. All he wanted was that bath and that woman. Right now.

"And what cards are those?" he managed to choke out.

"The 'I'm a sexy star basketball player' cards," she growled. "You really can't lose, Nathan."

Of all the words she'd said to him that day, those ones effected him most. She thought of him as a star. Just like his son, he could do no (or very little) wrong in her eyes. And that only made him want to try harder to never disappoint.

"I'll see you later, OK?" she said, turning away from him. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him, making her crash against him clumsily.

"Wait," he muttered. He leaned down and kissed her with every emotion she'd just evoked in him. In the short time she'd been at the gym, she'd somehow made him feel everything just a little bit more.

"Now I'm drenched in your sweat," she noted after they'd parted.

"You've never complained before," he said in a low voice, a cheeky smirk playing on his lips.

"I think I have, actually," she pointed out, feathering her fingers through his hair.

"Well, maybe that means you should go and get cleaned up, and be waiting for me in bed when I get home," he said suggestively.

"That was your plan all along, wasn't it?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. He just shrugged innocently. "I'll see you."

----

She'd just stepped into her office on Tuesday morning when she felt a pain in her side that stopped her in her tracks. It left as quickly as it came, and she just rubbed her side and kept walking, thinking she'd just moved the wrong way or something else trivial.

But when she was sitting at her desk and the pain hit again, it was blinding. She was sure she would have collapsed had she been standing. Her head started to pound and she wasn't sure what was happening, but it scared the hell out of her.

When it happened once more that afternoon, she knew there was no avoiding it.

She needed to get to a doctor.

**----**

**A/N:** I know, I know, similar to what happened on the show. But, it makes for good drama, and I can let you all speculate on what's going to happen! I'm certainly not going to give it away...


	13. Chapter 13

Peyton was sitting in her car in the parking lot of the hospital, not even attempting to hold back the tears that were falling. She'd just been asked a series of questions that made her think this was something much, much worse than she'd initially thought. There were tests and questionnaires and prodding, and two hours spent in a paper gown, feeling and looking terrified and uncomfortable.

Her phone rang, and she wiped at her cheeks hastily as she grabbed her phone from her bag. It was Nathan. She was supposed to go to his house after he'd dropped Jamie off, but now she didn't know if she should. Or could. She was scared that one look in those beautiful eyes of his and she'd break down, completely unsure of how many more times she'd be able to see them. She was being dramatic, she knew; no results had come back yet. But she still feared the worst and it was just in her nature to do so, and she knew that if there was something wrong, that it would change everything.

She contemplated not answering, but she had to. She would have felt worse had she ignored the call.

"Hi," she said softly, doing her best to mask the emotions she was feeling so strongly.

"Hey! How's my girl?" he asked happily.

"Good," she lied. "Exhausted, though."

"Tough day?"

"You could say that," she said with a laugh that he wouldn't realize was sarcastic. She glanced at the building in front of her and the business card of the doctor that was resting on the seat next to her.

"Well come over later and I'll take care of you," he said sincerely. There was no innuendo, no joke. He really just wanted to make her feel better.

"You know what? I think I'm just going to stay home," she said nonchalantly. She knew that as soon as he saw her, he'd know something was wrong, and she just wasn't ready to talk to him about this yet. She wasn't ready to talk to anyone about it yet.

"Peyton..."

"It's fine. I'm fine," she said, trying to convince herself of that very fact. "I just need to curl up with my favourite album and go to bed early."

"You could do that with me, but I get it," he said honestly.

He did understand, but he couldn't help feeling that there was something she wasn't telling him. He also knew her well enough that asking her what was going on would only piss her off. He just had to trust that she'd tell him when she was ready.

"Call me later, OK?" she requested hopefully. In truth, hearing his voice was putting her at ease just a little bit more. She just knew that if he held her in his arms, she'd fall apart. And she couldn't fall apart.

"Listen, don't hate me for asking..."

"I'm alright," she laughed. "I just need a night."

"OK. Well, if you need anything..."

"You'll be the first to know," she insisted.

"OK. I'll talk to you later," he said.

"Yeah. Have fun with Jamie," she said, doing her best not to start crying again.

He said goodbye and they hung up, and she let out a sob that she just couldn't stifle. She sat in her car for another hour, just listening to whatever mixed CD was playing, and crying. She was doing exactly what she didn't want to do, but she couldn't stop herself.

When she'd finally composed herself enough to be able to see properly, she turned the ignition and drove to the nearest pharmacy. The doctor had mentioned one thing to her that she needed to know right away. She needed to know before he called her in a 'few days' with the results.

Pregnancy. It was scary at the best of times, but in that moment, she was absolutely terrified. A part of her - a big part, she wouldn't lie - was almost hoping she was pregnant, because that meant that it wasn't something else. She didn't have cancer or whatever other medical conditions the doctor had spewed at her before she'd left. She and Nathan had always been safe, and so she had her doubts, but you just never know.

When she got home, she was relieved to find that Brooke wasn't there yet. All she wanted was a drink. She pulled the bottle of vodka out of the freezer before even thinking, only to take a deep breath and put it back.

She looked at the bag sitting on the counter and then remembered she hadn't eaten anything since that morning, so she decided to order her favourite comfort food to try to calm her nerves. She supposed it wouldn't really do any good, but Chinese food never hurt.

While she waited for her delivery, she figured she might as well do all her waiting at once. So she took the test out of the bag and went into her bathroom, and then waited. Three minutes. Lots or little can happen in three minutes. And those three minutes crawled. In three minutes, she wondered how she would tell Nathan if she was pregnant. She wondered how he would react. Would he be mad? Maybe he'd be happy. Knowing him, he'd be mad, then become happy. What would their child look like? She'd never really thought about that before. She suspected any baby of Nathan's would have that same dark hair and those same blue eyes, but Jamie certainly broke that mold.

And then the timer went off, and she held her breath until she picked up the test.

Negative.

And she had no idea what to think about that. It was just something she'd needed to know.

She spent the rest of her evening just as she'd told Nathan she would. She slipped into her pajamas and ate cheap Chinese food, and listened to all her favourite songs that she thought might help her through.

She heard Brooke come home around 9:30, and she pretended to be sleeping. And when her phone rang and she saw that it was Nathan, she pretended to be sleeping then, too.

She just needed a night.

----

The next morning, she got out of bed and smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen. She stumbled out of her room and saw Brooke there in her robe, standing at the stove and working on making enough pancakes for an army.

"Morning," Brooke chirped.

Peyton's response was a sleepy grumble.

"I'm making pancakes. There's coffee," the brunette pointed out. She watched Peyton shuffle to the cupboard for a mug, and pour herself a cup of the liquid she was craving.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she took a seat at the counter.

"So you were in bed early last night," Brooke said nonchalantly. "I wasn't even expecting you to be home."

"Yeah. Just tired, I guess," Peyton said, shrugging off the comment.

Brooke set a plate of food in front of her friend, and the two of them sat and ate together for the first time in a long time. Brooke noticed that Peyton was grumpy - even grumpier than she usually was in the morning. She wondered what was going on that she didn't know about. And almost 15 years of friendship told her that there was definitely something different about Peyton.

"You and Nathan didn't have a fight or anything, did you?" she asked tentatively.

"No!" Peyton insisted. "We're fine. He just had Jamie and I was really tired. I'm still really tired."

"Why don't you take the day off?" Brooke suggested. "You've been working so hard lately. You're going to end up getting sick or something."

Peyton just laughed at that statement, because she really didn't know what else to do. She just knew that she needed to get to the office and throw herself into her work to try to take her mind off everything that she couldn't control.

"I can't take the day off. But I'll be fine," she insisted.

"Are you staying with Nathan tonight?" Brooke asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I'm not sure," Peyton answered honestly. She hadn't thought of it at all. She wanted to. But she didn't want to. She didn't know how to be around him until she found out what she needed to find out.

"OK, what aren't you telling me?" Brooke asked desperately, dropping her fork on her plate. "What's going on?"

"Nothing! We're both just busy. And I spent the last, like, week at his place. I kind of thought my best friend would want to hang out," she said with a smirk.

"Nice work with the guilt trip," Brooke laughed. "But I'm actually going to be out tonight."

"Brooke," Peyton pleaded, "are you like, dating Chase now."

"No!" the brunette insisted adamantly. "No. We're not dating. I have a...a business thing."

"What 'business' would that be," Peyton asked with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips.

"We were talking about _you_," Brooke said, clearly evading the question.

"You're having dinner with him, aren't you?"

"No! We're...I'm helping him pick out clothes," Brooke admitted sheepishly.

"OK, I don't help Nathan pick out clothes, and we're legitimately together," Peyton said as she laughed. "What's up with you two?"

"We're just friends! I just help him shop, and he maybe gave me those flowers over there, and we have a meal or two a week..."

"So you're dating him," Peyton pointed out.

"That does make it sound like we're dating," Brooke said, putting her head in her hands. "We can't date, though, can we? I mean...sure, we used to, but then I dated his roommate, and then we broke up, and now I'm dating him again? That's not right...Right?"

Peyton just laughed, because the situation was so similar to her own.

"Uh...Brooke? Hi," she said as she chuckled. "Dated Nathan, dated Lucas, dating Nathan again."

"And those two are brothers! I am totally in the clear!" Brooke said excitedly.

"Glad my messed up situation can make you feel better about yours," Peyton said with a smile. She checked the clock and got up after downing the last of her coffee. "Just...keep having fun, OK? And don't worry about the history."

"Thanks, Peyton." Brooke nodded sincerely, relieved to have been able to tell her best friend the truth.

Peyton wished she could have done the same.

----

She'd just settled in to her real work after going over sales reports and ticket sales numbers, when she heard someone come in to her office. The last thing she needed was a random visitor taking her away from what she needed to do. Then, when she looked up, she saw the one person she hadn't expected.

"Lucas," she said, showing her surprise.

"Hey," he said, walking towards her with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"What's...what's up?" she asked, reaching for her cup of coffee to keep her hands occupied before realizing that it was empty.

"I just thought I'd stop by. I thought maybe we could talk," he said nervously, taking a seat across from her.

"Uh...yeah, sure," she said almost reluctantly. She wasn't really sure she wanted to hear whatever he had to say.

"I kind of wanted to apologize if I came off as a...well, a jerk at dinner the other night," he said with a weak smile.

"Oh," she managed. She resisted the urge to make a biting remark about how he should be apologizing for much more than just being a jerk at one dinner.

"I was just...This whole thing was kind of a surprise," he said softly.

"What? Nathan and I?" she asked, leaning forward and resting her arms on her desk.

"Well, yeah," he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I didn't really expect it."

"Trust me. Neither did I," she said with a smile.

"I didn't really expect you to take someone home from a bar," he said before really thinking. He didn't have to look at her to know that she wouldn't appreciate that. "Sorry. I didn't mean..."

"I didn't just take someone home from a bar, Lucas," she reminded him as calmly as she could, though she could feel herself growing angry. "It's not like I just went home with some stranger."

"I know," he conceded quickly. "I'm just kind of having a hard time with this."

She could only look at him. She wondered how he even had the nerve to say those words to her after everything they'd been through. After everything he'd put her through over the years. She'd finally found happiness, and of course, he had to come around and somehow make it about him.

"I don't really know what you want me to say. I mean, your best friend can marry the guy when she's 17, but I can't date him when we're adults?" she asked.

"It's not about Nathan," he insisted. "I think I'd have a hard time with you dating anyone."

And there it was. The truth that she was hoping he wouldn't say, but somehow she'd known all along. Sure, she'd known how hard it was to see him with someone else, but she'd certainly thought that since he was the one to move on first, as he'd so quickly pointed out after she'd returned home.

"I don't want to do this," she sighed in defeat after a moment of just looking at him, wondering if he'd actually just said those words.

"What?" he asked.

"This! You and me and all the stupid drama. I am so over it, and you clearly should be," she pointed out, gesturing towards him wildly with her arm. "You're married. You invited me to your wedding! So you don't get to talk to me about what it's like to see me with someone else."

He put his head in his hands and she heard him sigh. They were silent for another couple minutes, both of them wondering why this still affected him so much. It shouldn't have, and they both knew that.

"God, you're right. You're right. I guess I'll just always be protective over you," he finally said, his eyes locking with hers.

"Protective? Or possessive?" she asked seriously, looking at him imploringly. "Lucas, I don't need you to protect me anymore."

As soon as she'd said the words, she thought back to the news she was waiting on, and she thought of the time when she would have run to him right away and told him everything and let him hold her when she cried. She would have told him she was scared and he would have reassured her that everything would work out, even though they both knew that he was just as afraid as she was. But that time was a long time ago, and she knew that as well as he did.

"Peyton, I...I just need to know that you're happy," he said, shrugging his shoulders as thought that was the most simple concept in the world; happiness, and the idea that that's all he wanted for her.

"I am now," she said pointedly, knowing that he'd deduce from that, that she hadn't been happy until she started seeing Nathan.

"I guess I'm in the same place you were last year, huh?" he said with a nervous laugh.

She wanted to argue that no, he wasn't, since he had already married someone else and had no business feeling the way he was, but she really couldn't. Because she shouldn't have felt it about he and Lindsey in the beginning either. They were over.

"It gets easier," she said jokingly, making him laugh. "I really do want us to be friends."

"I want that, too, Peyt," he said sincerely before standing to leave. He'd heard the steady chime coming from her laptop, letting him know she had emails to tend to. "Can we...Can we just keep this between us?" he asked sheepishly.

"Yeah," she nodded.

He offered her a smile and continued walking out of her office, closing the door behind him. She was left alone, feeling proud of herself. She didn't care what he thought. Sure, they may have considered each other friends, but she didn't owe him anything. She didn't want his relationship with Nathan to suffer from this, but she suspected he wouldn't let it get in the way.

She wanted to say she couldn't believe he had the nerve to question her on her relationship, but she really couldn't. She'd done the same thing, only she'd gone so far as to beg him not to be with someone else. She realized now how selfish and horrible a thing that was for her to do. He hadn't quite done the exact thing, though she still felt he'd crossed a line. But she still understood it, that need to know that she was alright.

And so she decided to just chalk it up to another chapter of their twisted relationship, and tried to forget it long enough to get through the day.

----

It was almost 3:00 when Peyton heard the door to her office slide open for the second time that day. She'd been cooped up, working away diligently, and thankful that her day had included enough menial work that she could forget about her conversation from earlier. She'd been screening calls and answering only when necessary, and she was surprised that her cell hadn't rung once.

But then that door slid open and in walked the one person that she hated to admit she was avoiding.

"Hi," Nathan said with a smile, walking towards her and taking a seat across from her desk.

"Hey," she replied, looking up from her computer screen and focusing her attention on him. It wasn't that hard to do when he looked like he did.

"I called you last night," he mentioned, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, I was in bed. Sorry. I should have called you back this morning, I've just been busy," she explained.

She really did feel bad about not calling him back. She certainly should have. She knew she was ducking him, and that wasn't fair to him. It wasn't his fault she was dealing with the things she was dealing with.

"It's alright. I just thought I'd stop in and say hi while I was in the neighbourhood," he said.

"In the neighbourhood?" she asked with a raised brow.

"OK, I just wanted to see you," he admitted sheepishly.

She got up from her seat and walked towards him, settling herself on his lap and leaning in to kiss him. And though it had only been just over a day since she last kissed him, she realized how much she'd missed it. One of his hands rest on her thigh while the other got tangled in her hair, and he moaned when she pulled away.

"OK," he sighed. "That was..."

"Yeah," she laughed.

"You coming over later?" he asked, that tone in his voice that always suggested that he really, really wanted her to spend the night with him.

"Um...yeah," she said softly. "Yeah, maybe. I mean, I don't really know."

He just looked at her for a moment, wondering what was really going on with her. She wasn't usually indecisive. And he didn't want to just make assumptions, but usually when she wasn't going to stay at his place, she actually had a legitimate reason. She didn't usually stay away unless she had to.

"Peyton, what's going on?" he asked gently, moving his thumb over her thigh.

"Nothing!" she answered quickly. "I'm just having a weird day, that's all. If you promise me there'll be ice cream, I'll be there."

"I'll promise you whatever you want," he said sweetly, and she would have rolled her eyes if she didn't think he was being completely serious.

"OK. Well, I'm going to try to get out of here early," she said, running her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck just like he'd always loved. "Want me to bring dinner?"

"Sure. Surprise me. I have to get going, though. I'm working out with Skills for a couple hours," he said, trying to imply that he needed her to get up.

"Alright."

She leaned against him just a little bit more and she could feel his heart beating against her. She needed just that moment when it was just the two of them and silence, just to sit with him. She didn't want to be distant with him. Being in his arms was soothing her in a way that she should have expected, but hadn't.

"So listen, am I gonna have to call and cancel, or are you gonna let me up?" he asked with a smirk.

"Right!" she said hurriedly. "Sorry."

"Oh, don't be sorry," he growled as she stood and straightened out her skirt. "I'll see you later, OK?"

He leaned down to kiss her once more, and then turned to leave. She watched the way he walked and he stopped right as he got to the door, and without turning around, he let out a laugh.

"You know, I can tell when you're checking me out, Sawyer."

"I wasn't trying to hide it!" she called as he slipped out the door laughing.

----

Peyton left her office not long after Nathan left, knowing that she'd done enough work for the day and just couldn't focus any longer. She was awaiting the call from the doctor that she knew wouldn't probably come until the next day anyway, and she just had to get out of that space.

She let herself into Nathan's place using the key she'd made, and it struck her how natural it felt. She felt at home there, even when he wasn't with her. It was a little scary, since she'd never really ever felt that with anyone other than Lucas, once upon a time. But she felt like maybe she was supposed to be there; like maybe she was ready to move in with him.

But then she remembered what news she might be getting in the next couple days, and she didn't want to make promises she wasn't sure she could keep.

She sat on the back porch beneath a blanket for a while, watching people walk along the sand even though it was probably not the best weather to do it in. Something about that spot, sitting on the porch swing and rocking to a steady rhythm, everything else seemed to fade away. All her worries and fear, all the uncertainty dissolved away. She would be able to handle whatever was thrown at her. She'd always done it before.

Instead of ordering something to eat from one of their favourite places, she decided she'd cook. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, washed her hands, and began preparing a simple stir-fry that she knew he'd love. She turned on some music at a low volume and opened a bottle of wine, and stood in the kitchen, focused on the task at hand.

She didn't hear him come in the house, but the smells coming from the kitchen let him know where she was. He stopped in the doorway and just watched her as she added ingredients to the saucepan and wiped her hands on the towel that was draped over her shoulder, and he realized that was definitely something he could get used to coming home to.

She spun around to take another sip of wine, and noticed him standing there with a contented smile on his face.

"Hi," she said happily.

"I thought you were going to pick something up," he pointed out, stepping further into the room and leaning over the counter between them to kiss her forehead.

"Oh, well, I was just hanging out and decided to cook," she said with a shrug as she poured him a glass of water. "How was your workout?"

"It was good," he said distractedly. "How long have you been here?"

"A little over an hour. I hope that's OK," she said, turning back to look at him from where she was standing at the stove.

"Of course it's OK," he insisted. "Make yourself at home."

She looked at him pointedly and put a hand on her hip, and he raised his hands in surrender, though they both knew that he wouldn't stop dropping those not-so-subtle hints.

"So I just saw Brooke and Chase together," he said as he tugged his shirt up over his head and tucked it into the back of his shorts. She stared at him for a moment, just admiring him.

"Yeah," she said after a moment, breaking herself from the distraction. "They're kind of dating. But don't say anything to her about it, because she's totally nervous."

"Why?" he asked obliviously.

"Because of the history," Peyton shrugged.

"Um...is she aware of our relationship?" he asked with a laugh.

"That's what I said." She watched him rub his left shoulder with his right hand, wincing as he did so. "Why don't you go get changed? Dinner's in 10 minutes."

"Too much for you, baby?" he growled with a boyish smirk, stepping towards her.

"Get out of here!" she cried. His hands came to rest on her hips as he stood behind her and he leaned down to kiss her neck.

"Back in a minute," he muttered before turning and heading towards the stairs.

He certainly knew how to push all her buttons.

They ate their dinner together, taking their time and chatting about their days. She was selective in the information she shared, but she'd told him the truth about her prior evening; that she'd just sat around at home and done nothing, and had gone to bed early.

She noticed him stretching his shoulder and rubbing it, trying to get a knot out, and she offered to give him a massage. He of course, made a sleazy comment about 'getting the kinks out' as he lay down on the bed on his stomach in just his boxers, while she straddled him in just a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top.

She began to run her hands over the spots he told her were giving him trouble, and he started telling her about the things he needed to do to get himself in better shape. He obviously didn't see his body the way she saw it.

"Oh, ow," he groaned, shifting beneath her slightly as she worked the part of his shoulder she'd seen him rubbing earlier.

"Too much?" she asked, concerned that she'd hurt him.

"No. No, it's good. Just...keep doing that," he insisted quietly. She paid extra attention to that spot, and he could have sworn she was a professional. "OK, you're amazing at this."

"Just this?" she teased, laughing when he sighed dramatically.

"How come you've never offered to do this before?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said softly. "Maybe I never thought you needed it."

They were quiet again, with only the sound of the ocean just barely carrying into the room. She kept moving her hands, but she was off in her own world, thinking about how much things had changed, and how much she hoped they still would change. She began to think that she was overreacting to whatever had happened the day before, because she hadn't had any pain since then. She decided that she wouldn't live her life waiting to see what was going to go wrong next. Nathan was proof perfect that the opposite was the better way to go. Maybe you have to work harder after the disasters happen, but you don't have to toss in the towel at the first signs that something would go wrong.

"I want to move in," she insisted abruptly.

He turned his head and looked at her, then shifted his entire body so quickly and efficiently, that he was on his back, and she was still straddling him. How he'd accomplished that, she wasn't really sure. She was still laughing at the goofy smile on his face when he put his hands on her hips. When she leaned down to kiss him, he spoke before she could press her lips to his.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm sure," she said quietly. "I have to talk to Brooke, and you should talk to Jamie. But I want to move in."

"I..." _Love you_, he thought. "I'm glad. I love having you here."

"I love being here," she agreed. "I want tonight, every night."

He smiled because it was a bit of a silly thing to say, but he completely understood it. He kissed her then, and she responded quickly, but when his hands slid beneath her shirt, she pulled away.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Nothing," she said softly, shaking her head slightly. "I'm just tired."

"It's like, 9:30," he pointed out.

"I know. I've just been really tired lately," she said with a shrug. "You don't have to come to bed, though. I mean, if you're not tired."

He just looked at her like she was absolutely insane. She'd just agreed to move in with him, and they'd had an incredibly intimate and perfect evening, and now she was saying he didn't 'have' to be with her if he didn't want to.

"I'm already in bed," he said, smirking and making her roll her eyes. She got off him and slipped beneath the covers, watching as he stretched his back and smiled.

"Better?"

"So much better," he said, crawling in next to her and getting comfortable. "Goodnight."

"'Night, roomie," she mumbled as he turned out the light.

"Dork."

"You love it," she insisted as she curled into his side.

"Yeah," he sighed, kissing the top of her head.

He wasn't sure why it was so hard to just tell her what he was feeling, but his biggest worry at that moment was that there was something more that she might not be telling him. Of course, he wasn't upset that she'd just wanted to go to sleep, but he didn't want her keeping secrets big or small. He just had to hope that she'd tell him when she was ready. He knew better than to push her.

But he loved her, and he worried about her. He _loved_ her. It was still terrifying to admit that to himself. He couldn't even imagine how terrified she'd be if he said the words. So he just let her fall asleep in his arms, and he lay awake for a while in the silence.

**----**

**A/N:** I originally wanted to post this on Sunday, but whatever was going on with this site prohibited it. Sorry! And I'm going to blame the low number of reviews for the last chapter on those same problems. I hate to leave you hangin' on what's going on with Peyton....ah, who am I kidding. I kind of love being the puppetmaster!


	14. Chapter 14

When Peyton woke up the next day, it was uncharacteristically sunny outside, and she smiled when she looked over at the sleeping man next to her. The sunlight was shining brightly through the windows, and she wasn't sure how he was even sleeping through it.

She stared at him for a moment, just watching him as he slept. She rolled onto her side so she was facing him, and tucked her hands beneath her cheek. She noticed the time on the clock, but chose to ignore it; she could be a few minutes late for work.

"Hmmph," he grumbled after a moment.

She remembered when he used to do make that sound when they were younger. They'd nap together, or he'd somehow manage to stay at her house without his parents knowing (or caring), and he'd huff out that noise when he woke up, but didn't want to wake up. She'd always found it adorable, even more so now that he was a grown man.

His eyes fluttered open and he turned his head to look at her.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"Nothing," she insisted.

"Why are you smiling?" he inquired, rolling onto his side and mimicking the way she was laying.

"You're pretty," she said softly, making him chuckle. He scooted closer to her and kissed her forehead as he gathered her in his arms.

"Isn't this the part where you tell me you have to get ready for work?" he asked softly, stroking her arm with his hand.

"Not today."

"You're staying here?" he asked, as excitedly as he could having just woken up.

"No," she laughed. "I'm just not in any hurry."

"Mmm. Good," he mumbled, leaning in to kiss her.

To both their surprise, she didn't pull away. He thought she would, because of her reaction the night before, and she thought she would, because she was still so confused and scared. But Nathan's kiss and his hands on her skin made her feel better, not worse. Really, how could they not?

He'd just begun kissing her shoulder and had every intention of pulling her shirt over her head, when her phone rang on the night stand. He groaned and pulled away from her, knowing that she wouldn't ignore it, and he couldn't really fault her that. He reached for her phone and passed it to her as she smiled at him apologetically.

"Hello?" she answered, sitting up and adjusting the straps of her tank top.

"Hi Miss Sawyer? This is Dr. Nelson," he spoke.

"Oh," she said in surprise, looking over to Nathan. "Can you hang on just a moment?" She turned to Nathan and told him she had to take the call, and ventured out into the hall and into one of the empty bedrooms, closing the door behind her. "Hi, Dr. Nelson."

"I just wanted to let you know that I have your test results back, and if you'd like to come in this morning to discuss things, I have an opening in my schedule around 11:00," he explained.

"Um...yeah. Yes, I'll be there," she confirmed.

"Alright, I'll see you then," he said before hanging up.

She tried to decode the tone of his voice and the words he'd chosen. He was calm and composed, but he said he wanted to 'discuss things', and she didn't suspect that meant anything good. Walking back down the hall, she decided that she'd just wait until the time came, and do her best to just ignore things until then.

"Everything OK?" he asked when she stepped back into the room.

"Yeah," she said, hoping that statement was true.

"You gonna leave me?" he inquired with a cheeky smile.

"Not right now," she said softly, climbing back into bed with him and straddling his lap.

She leaned down to kiss him, but then his phone rang, and they could both only laugh at how frustrated they were getting. The one morning they had time to take with each other, was the one morning the world seemed to want to chase them down.

"It's Luke," he noticed. "I should take it."

"I guess it's just not our morning, Nate," she said with a shrug before caressing his cheek sweetly. She moved off him and headed into the bathroom as he answered the phone.

She braced herself against the counter as she waited for the water to heat up for her shower, and she hoped that everything _was_ OK. And she hoped she wasn't leaving him.

----

The call from her doctor had left her reeling, and no matter what she'd tried to do that morning to bury herself in work, she couldn't focus on anything. 10:00 rolled around, and she scrolled through her phone over and over again, wondering who she could call to go with her to get the results. She knew she couldn't go alone, and no matter how many times she clicked through her contacts, her eyes fell on one name.

When she made that call and asked that person to come to her office, she felt somehow more nervous and more relaxed simultaneously. 20 minutes later, the door slid open and she looked up to see the person she'd dialed.

"Hi Lindsey," Peyton said anxiously.

"Hey," Lindsey said, sensing that something was off, despite the fact that she didn't know Peyton as well as the rest of their friends did.

"We're kind of...friends...right?" Peyton asked, evoking a slight laugh from the woman sitting across from her.

"Yeah, we are," Lindsey said with a smile, almost as though it surprised her to even be able to say it.

"Well listen, I was hoping you could help me," Peyton said hurriedly. "I have to go to the doctor and I need someone to come with me, and you're the only one I know who won't freak out with worry. I mean, not that you aren't compassionate or anything! You are," she amended. "I just mean you're kind of the only person I know who is really level headed and can just be...calm."

"Peyton," Lindsey said softly, showing the aforementioned compassion. "Of course I'll come with you."

"Really?" Peyton asked, sighing her relief when Lindsey nodded. "Thank you."

Peyton knew she'd made the right decision calling Lindsey. Brooke would have been an absolute mess, and Haley not only had to work, but would have been motherly and just too close. She would have hovered and spoken in hushed tones, and it would have made Peyton fall apart. Lucas was out of the question. She knew that Lindsey would be understanding, but she was far enough removed that she wouldn't be overly...anything. She could step back and see things objectively, and that was exactly what Peyton needed.

"What's going on?" Lindsey asked, showing concern as they started out of Peyton's office.

"I just got these really unbearable pains a few days ago, I guess," Peyton explained, more nonchalantly than the subject matter should have allowed. Lindsey's eyes widened at that knowledge. "I had some tests done and I'm getting the results today and I just really can't do it alone."

"Of course you can't," Lindsey said softly, rubbing Peyton's arm comfortingly. "But why don't you have Nathan go with you? He's good with stuff like this. Does he even know?"

"No," Peyton said sheepishly as they got into her car, the very same one that had been subject to so much controversy. None of that mattered now. Lindsey looked at Peyton with wide eyes once again. "I just know that if he held my hand through this, it would make be weaker, not stronger. I know that sounds crazy..."

"It doesn't," Lindsey assured her. "I think you're allowed to feel whatever you want right now."

They drove to the hospital in mostly silence, with one or the other occasionally commenting on something neutral. Something that didn't include the words 'collapse', or 'pain', or 'cancer', or any others that they each knew they were both thinking.

They sat together in the silence of Peyton's doctor's office, as they waited for him to come in and explain whatever it was he was going to explain. Lindsey could sense the worry and fear radiating off the woman to her left, so she boldly reached out and took her hand, and Peyton closed her eyes and let out a shaky sigh just as the door opened.

"Hi Peyton," he greeted as he took his place at his desk across from the two women.

"Hi Dr. Nelson. This is my friend Lindsey," she explained. _My friend Lindsey_. Despite the circumstances, she inwardly smiled that she could now call the woman that.

"Hi there," he said, smiling towards Lindsey, who said a soft hello in response that Peyton barely heard. Her eyes were fixed on the file on the desk, wondering what information it held.

"Well Peyton, it's good news. There's nothing to be alarmed about," he said, eliciting simultaneous sighs from both women, and Lindsey turned to look at Peyton as she squeezed her hand. "It just seems as though you had some severe pains, almost certainly caused by stress."

"Wow," Peyton whispered. She noticed Lindsey turn to her and smile. "But are you sure it's nothing? I mean, my birth mother had cancer, and..."

"No," he assured her. "There's nothing to worry about. Though, given your family history, I do suggest you come back for regular checkups, but that's nothing I wouldn't recommend anyway. You've got a clean bill of health, Miss Sawyer. But you might want to slow down a bit. Take some time off. The pain was your body's way of telling you that you need to rest."

She threw her head back in relief of the news, as Lindsey thanked the doctor. Peyton vaguely heard him tell them they could stay in his office as long as they needed to, but as soon as he'd left, she pulled Lindsey into a tight hug and thanked her for coming with her.

The ride from the hospital was much less tense than the one there. The two of them chatted about nothing and everything the entire distance to Lindsey and Lucas' house, and Peyton thanked her once again for being there for her. Lindsey replied that she was glad to have been able to help, and even happier that the two of them were building a friendship. They hugged once more before Lindsey left the car.

Lindsey stepped through the door that led to her and Lucas' bedroom, and pulled off her jacket. Lucas appeared at the other door and smiled at her, eliciting the same response from her.

"Where've you been?" he asked. "I thought you'd be here when I got home from practice."

"I was actually with Peyton," she explained, laughing slightly when she saw his eyebrows shoot skyward. "Don't say anything to Nathan, but she like, basically collapsed a few days ago and had to have a bunch of tests done to see if it was cancer or...anything. She asked me to go with her to get the results."

She didn't think it was possible, but his eyes went even wider upon hearing the word 'cancer'.

"But she's OK, right? I mean, it's not...?" he asked hurriedly in a hushed whisper.

Lindsey didn't know that Nathan was in the next room, and she hadn't realized that Lucas' attempts to wave her off were for that reason until it was too late and Nathan was standing behind his brother with a worried look on his face.

"No. She's fine," she assured them both quickly. She felt the guilt immediately. Peyton had trusted her with this, and she'd already messed it up. Though it wasn't entirely her fault, she still felt as though she should have kept her mouth shut. "She's fine, Nathan."

His head was spinning. All he had heard was 'Peyton' and 'cancer', and he'd shot up from his seat at the kitchen table. Why hadn't she told him? Why had he had to find out from Lindsey? Did she even intend on saying anything to him about it? What if she _had_ had cancer. What would he have done then? He couldn't lose her. Not now.

"I've gotta go," he said quickly, walking past his brother and towards the door.

"Nathan!" Lindsey called, but it was no use. He was out the door before she could say another word. She looked at Lucas worriedly, not knowing what was going to happen next.

She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through for the person she needed to dial. Lucas, through his stunned stupor, was able to ask who she was calling, and she said only one name with no further explanation.

----

He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he went straight to her house instead of her office. He just suspected she wouldn't be working. Sure enough, her car was parked in the driveway, and he was relieved to see that Brooke's was not.

He walked in without knocking, just in time to see her drop her phone on the coffee table in front of her. She stood when she saw him, and she couldn't discern whether it was worry or anger on his face, and realized that it was most likely both, given what Lindsey had just explained to her over the phone.

"Did you think about me?" he asked, his voice desperate as he stood just inside the door.

"Nathan..."

"No," he said defiantly, interrupting whatever she was about to say. "When you were going through this alone, did you think about me?"

"Of course, I did," she said softly.

"But you didn't think I'd want to know what was going on with you? The reasons you've been pulling away from me the last couple days?" he asked incredulously. She had no response. She just looked at the floor. "Jesus, Peyton. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was scared!" she shouted. "What was I supposed to say? 'Hey boyfriend. Yeah, I had a good day. Had breakfast, sold a few thousand albums, had some intrusive cancer tests...'?"

"Yes!" he yelled. "Exactly! I don't care about what words you could have used, I care that you didn't _tell_ me that you were going through this."

"I'm sorry," she said weakly. "You've just been working so hard and I didn't want you to be distracted."

"Peyton, you are _not_ a distraction," he insisted. His tone was still harsher than he wanted, or she needed it to be, but he couldn't help himself.

She felt the lump form in her throat, and she knew it was caused by a multitude of things, but perhaps the most prominent was that her secret had caused this huge fight.

"Are you sure everything's OK?" he asked, softening his tone as he noted the glimmer of unshed tears in her eyes.

"Medically? Yes," she assured him. "But I'm pretty pissed that my boyfriend somehow turned my drama into something about him."

"It is about me!" he said, raising his voice again. How could she not understand his position? How could she not see that her worry was his worry? She didn't realize that he just simply didn't know what he'd have done if it turned out she was sick. It hurt him to even _think_ it.

Brooke, who was clueless to Peyton's collapse and everything surrounding it, had opened the door to hear Nathan's outburst, and the arguing couple looked at her. Using best friends' intuition, Peyton sent Brooke a look that let her know that everything was fine, and the brunette pursed her lips and exited the house again. She wasn't sure that everything was fine.

Neither was Peyton.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that you think I wouldn't have been there for whatever you went through?" he asked angrily. "Do you really have that little faith in me?"

"It's not that!" she shouted back. He moved to stand closer to her, but she backed away, clearly wanting the space. He should have known she'd do it; it had always been one of her signature moves.

"Well then explain it to me, please," he pleaded desperately.

She just shook her head and looked down again, feeling the tears spill down her cheeks before she looked up at him again. He threw his hands in the air and laughed in frustration in that way that, even when they were in high school, had always made her more angry.

And she wanted so badly to hate him. To scream at him until her face was red from breathlessness, and his was red with anger at the words she'd spat at him. She wanted to shout all the things she was feeling. She wanted to glare at him. To hurt him because he'd hurt her. Maybe she even wanted to slap him. Just once. Just once across the face, stinging his flesh with her fingertips and turning her emotional pain into his physical pain.

But with him standing there, wearing the shirt they were both aware was her favourite, and his eyes filled with a sadness that they both knew was caused by worry and his guilt over ever making her cry, she couldn't do any of those things. And it wasn't his fault. None of this was his fault. He was just concerned for her, and she wasn't doing much to placate him.

She couldn't hate him. She never would. And the last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him.

"Why can't you just let it go?" she asked softly, her tone even and her posture unchanged.

She looked broken to him, and if he hadn't thought that she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, the sight of her at that moment would have made him cry. He was sure of it.

"Why do you feel the need to keep things from me? To protect me from things?" he asked, mimicking her quieter tone.

This was the moment she knew that her true feelings needed to be spoken. All the ones she'd tried to keep hidden, waiting for the perfect moment, she was about to say.

She'd wanted to make him dinner, or walk with him beneath the starlight, or create some other amazing situation that would have created the perfect backdrop for her declaration. This wasn't perfect - perhaps it was the furthest thing from it - but her words would fit.

Or at least she hoped they would.

"Because I'm in _love_ with you," she said, her tone of voice insistent.

She really hadn't wanted to give in. But how could she possibly even consider hating him? How could she stand in front of him, both of them scared and hurting, and him questioning her motives, and not tell him the whole truth?

There was still 10 feet of space between them, and she wasn't sure she'd ever hated being away from him as much as she hated being away from him right then. She felt, though she knew it wasn't true, that she needed to touch him to make him realize how serious she was. That her skin on his - anywhere or everywhere, soft or rough - would make him feel exactly what she was feeling.

He didn't say anything for what felt like an hour, but what was actually less than a minute, and she wasn't sure if he was just trying to torture her as penance, or if she'd actually rendered him speechless. At that point, either was entirely possible.

She closed the distance between them and took his one of his hands in hers. He brushed away the tear that had just fallen from her left eye, and rest his free hand on her cheek. He couldn't bring himself to smile, though she had been the first to say those words he'd wanted to say for so long. When he still didn't say anything, she started to get even more worried that nothing would ever be the same, and not for the reasons in which she hoped.

"I'm in love with you," she repeated. She spoke so softly that if he hadn't already been staring at her, he wouldn't have heard the words.

He wasn't sure he'd ever heard anything as clearly in his life.

He pulled her against him roughly, and she knew he felt the same, even if he refused out of anger to say the words.

He kissed the top of her head and held her as tightly to his chest as he could. She didn't care that he was too stubborn to admit what she already suspected. The embrace he had her in let her know that she was forgiven. Well, that she was almost forgiven.

He pulled away from her again and brushed the hair away from her face with both his hands. Neither of them had cracked a smile; the tension wouldn't allow it.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "Nathan, I didn't..."

"I'm in love with you, too," he said, cutting off whatever she was about to say. He wanted to hear that apology, though he wasn't entirely sure it was necessary. But nothing was as important in that moment as telling her what she desperately needed to hear, and he desperately needed to say.

She let out a sigh of relief and snaked her arms around him again, resting her head against his chest once more.

"I want you to tell me..." he started, as he held her.

"Nathan," she interrupted. "I don't want to talk about it any more."

A short breath escaped his lips, knowing they needed to talk more about everything that had just happened, but he realized her day had left her emotionally spent, and that it was only just past noon.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want you to lay down with me," she admitted, her voice shaky with emotion. "And just not say anything. OK?"

"Listen to me," he said, tipping her chin up so she would look at him. "We need to talk."

"I know, just...not now," she said quietly.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I mean we need to talk. In general. I don't want you keeping things to yourself. I don't want you thinking you can't say things to me, alright?"

"OK," she whispered, flashing him a weak smile.

"Promise?" he asked, letting that smirk he knew she loved play on his lips.

"I promise."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and pulled her against him again, and they stood like that for at least ten minutes. She cried quietly against his chest, and he smoothed her hair with his hand and rubbed her back. He knew she was scared of the 'what ifs', just as he was. She was crying because she was relieved and yet still terrified, and it was all he could to not to let himself get choked up with her. But she needed his arms around her, and he knew that, so he just held her like she needed to be held.

When she pulled away from him and headed into her bedroom, he grabbed a couple glasses of water and Brooke's secret chocolate stash that he'd stumbled upon one morning, and then the two of them lay in bed for the rest of the day, sleeping and cuddling or just staring at each other.

He had left to spend time with Jamie, upon her insistence. He had told her he'd call Haley and tell her something came up, but she simply wouldn't let him. He told her that he'd be back later if she wanted him to, and of course she wanted him to.

Around 11:00 that evening, when they heard the door open and Brooke walk in to the house, they both fully expected her to barge in and make sure everything was alright; the old Brooke would have. She'd played mediator to a few of their arguments in high school. But they knew, as they suspected she did, that they were adults and they could clean up their own messes. When they heard her head to her room and close the door, Peyton let out a sigh that may have been relief, and Nathan just smirked at her.

"I'm ready to talk," she finally said.

He had been sitting with his back against the headboard and her head on his lap, and they were just listening to quiet music as he stroked her hair. She moved away from him and sat up, indicating that she was ready for a long conversation if it turned into one.

She wasn't sure why, but she expected him to say something. She thought he'd heave a sigh and say it was about time, or gently encourage her to continue speaking. She realized then, that their relationship didn't need that. He knew she'd talk when she was ready, and while they both knew that he'd wanted her to open up to him all day long, they were each aware that this was how she dealt with things. She'd keep it inside and mull it over until she had it all figured out, and then she'd talk to him.

"Apparently it was just stress pains," she told him, as his face remained unchanged. "But it really hurt. I had to have like, blood work done and some type of scan thing..."

"When?"

"Tuesday," she said quietly. "I went to the hospital and, well, you know the rest."

"I guess I'm just trying to figure out _why_ you wouldn't tell me," he said, reaching for her hand.

"I didn't tell you because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle the look on your face," she admitted quietly. "You would have been worried and scared, and...I just needed you to not know about it so that you would be normal around me."

"Of course I would have been scared," he insisted. "But I think I would have been able to be strong for you."

"I know you would have, Nathan. You're the strongest man I know," she said, making him smile just a little bit. "But you would have been all...protective and you would have treated me like I was going to break."

"I'm already protective," he said, smiling at her when she chuckled. "And at least if I'd have know what was going on, I would have been able to...I dunno, just do whatever you wanted me to."

"You already do that," she reminded him, making him shake his head at her.

"I'm sorry I got mad," he said quietly. "I was...It's hard not knowing what's going on. And then to find out from Lindsey..."

"I know," she interrupted. "_I'm _sorry."

"No more secrets?" he pleaded with a raised brow.

"No more secrets," she answered, smiling before she leaned over to kiss him. They both laid down again and he pulled her into his arms.

"So listen, I'm taking a few days off," she said, trailing her fingers down his chest. "Maybe we could move my things."

"I don't think that's very relaxing," he countered worriedly.

"What's more relaxing than watching my boyfriend carry boxes?" she asked.

"Oh, I see how it is," he laughed. "But don't you have to talk to Brooke first?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I don't know what to say to her."

"Tell her that you love me and I asked you to move in because I love you, too," he said simply, smiling when she cuddled closer to him.

"Mmm. I don't think I'll ever get sick of hearing that," she muttered.

"Good," he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Because I plan on saying it a lot."

**----**

**A/N:** So there. Two of the things you've been waiting for in one chapter. I hope it wasn't too anti-climactic. And I know that a lot of you hate/dislike the Lindsey/Peyton friendship, but it's just always what I have had in mind for this story. Let me know what you think!


	15. Chapter 15

Peyton woke up the next morning surprised to find that she was alone in her bed. She lay there for a few minutes and listened to the conversation Nathan and Brooke were having in the kitchen, before hearing them each say goodbye and listening to the door close. She knew that Brooke would have been the one to leave, and so she stepped out into the kitchen in just her satin nightgown.

"Morning," Nathan said, pouring her a cup of coffee. Her response was a yawn that she just couldn't stifle. "Since it's your first day off, I thought I'd make you breakfast."

"Nice of you," she smiled, leaning up to kiss him as she took a sip from the mug he'd handed her.

"So, I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but don't you think it's time you hired an assistant?" he asked as he tended to the omelet that was cooking away on the stove.

"Actually," she said, sitting at the counter and crossing her legs, "I was thinking the same thing."

"Really?" he asked, surprise in his tone. She didn't usually give in that quickly.

"Yeah. I was saving up to maybe buy a house, but since someone has so generously offered to take me in..." she said, smiling as he chuckled.

"Well, good," he said with finality. "I think that if your stress level is any indication, you definitely need someone to give you a hand."

"Yes, chef," she teased. "How's my breakfast coming?"

"Ah yes, the old Peyton Sawyer dodge," he said with a smile as he set her plate in front of her.

"I'm not dodging! I'm just really hungry," she insisted, taking a bite of her food. "Oh my God!"

"Good?" he asked with a grin, already knowing the answer. He didn't know why she was constantly surprised by his culinary skills, but he kind of liked the way her eyes went wide when she had that first bite of something new he'd made her. And if he was being honest, he knew that omelets were his specialty, and maybe he kind of wanted to impress her.

"_So_ good," she informed him. "I am going to love living with you."

"I hope you do," he said, sitting down next to her with a plate of his own. "I was thinking we could turn one of the spare rooms into an office for you or something. I mean, if you wanted to."

She just looked at him for a moment, wondering how he became this amazing, attentive, caring man. She didn't want to say anything for fear of insulting or embarrassing him, but it still amazed her sometimes how much he'd changed. And it didn't hurt that he clearly already thought of it as 'their' home, and wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible there.

"What?" he asked when her staring started to unnerve him.

"Nothing! I just think that's a great idea," she said with a smile. "I want the one with the balcony, though. Next to Jamie's room."

"You just like that room because it's already painted red," he insisted as he laughed. She just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. That really was one of the reasons she wanted that room, and she thought it was adorable that he knew her that well.

They finished their breakfast and sat around for a while, just talking and teasing each other as they usually did, and then began tidying the kitchen and doing the dishes. There was a knock at the door, and Peyton wondered who would be there, knowing that most of their friends would have thought she'd be at work.

"Can you get that?" she asked Nathan. "I don't think you want me answering the door like this."

"No," he insisted quickly, making her smile again as he gave her a once over. It was a nightgown he hadn't seen before, but certainly hoped to see again soon. "This look better be just for me."

She leaned up to kiss him before heading into her bedroom to change.

When Nathan answered the door, it appeared that both he and the person standing on the other side were equally surprised.

"Luke," Nathan said, by way of greeting.

"Hey," Lucas said uneasily. "I was just on my way home from practice."

Nathan knew why Lucas was there, but he also knew that he shouldn't have been. Lucas was married, and any strange protectiveness or, dare he say, claim he had over Peyton should have disappeared as soon as he'd said those vows. Nathan didn't need to tell him any of that in so many words, but he needed to get the point across as gently as possible.

"Luke, I've got this," Nathan insisted quietly.

"I just wanted to see how she was doing," Lucas said sincerely. Nathan understood that, he did. He would have checked up on Haley if she was the one dealing with this. He would have done the same for any of his friends.

"I'll tell her you stopped by. I've got this," he repeated.

Nathan knew that his brother needed to know that Peyton was taken care of, which she clearly was. He thought it a little ironic that Lucas was so worried now, but after he got married and she was alone and teetering on the line of holding it together and falling apart, the guy was nowhere around.

"Nathan, who's...?!" Peyton called as she stepped out of her bedroom in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. "Oh. Luke. Hey."

"Hey," he said as 'normally' as he could.

"Oh!" she said quickly, before returning to her room.

Both men were left looking at each other, wondering what she was up to. She walked back out a moment later with a card in her hand and a pen in the other, and sat at the counter and began writing.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Nathan asked with a laugh as he and Lucas stepped into the living room.

"I want Lucas to give this to Lindsey," she explained without looking up. "I figured while he's here..."

Lucas didn't ask her how she was doing, because he could see that she was fine, and she had Nathan. And he ignored the feeling he got when he heard Nathan call her 'babe'. She wasn't his to worry about any more. Sure, they were friends, and he was certain they'd be spending more time together now, but that protectiveness, that palpable worry, was not his to feel. He had to let it go. It was time to let it go.

"OK," she said, sealing the card into an envelope and writing Lindsey's name on the front. "Here you go."

"I'll make sure she gets it," he said, taking the envelope from her and tucking it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"So, what brings you by?" Peyton asked, though she already knew the answer. She didn't fault Lindsey for letting the news out. She didn't expect the woman to keep secrets from her husband, and it didn't matter that her husband happened to be Lucas.

"Just wanted to make sure you were good, which clearly you are," he said with a genuine smile, watching as she looked over at Nathan.

"Yeah. We're good," she said, emphasizing again that she wasn't alone.

"Actually, Luke, Peyton won't be living here much longer," Nathan said, watching as Peyton let out a quiet laugh. "She's moving in with me."

"Really?" Lucas asked, his smile still in place. "That's great, you guys."

"Thanks," Peyton said, smirking when Nathan draped his arm around her loosely. He didn't want to seem possessive, but she was his girlfriend, and if he wanted to be next to her, he would be. His brother would just have to deal with that.

"OK, well I have to get going, but if you need help lifting boxes, I'm your man," Lucas said with a laugh as he made his way to the door. He locked eyes with Peyton one last time and offered a single nod. "See you guys later."

"Bye, Luke," Peyton said, watching as he closed the door behind him before turning to Nathan. "Was he just...?"

"Jealous? Yeah," Nathan said with a smirk.

"I wasn't going to say jealous!" she countered. "I was going to say weird."

"He was definitely jealous," Nathan said seriously.

"Please promise me that you won't do anything stupid," she pleaded. "You and Luke have come so far and I..."

"Don't want to come between us again?" he finished with a smirk.

"What!? Again!?" she cried and he raised an eyebrow. "Shut up. That was so not even..."

"Not even what?" he asked as her voice trailed. He just looked at her with a smile, waiting for her answer, and when she rolled her eyes, he knew that she was well aware that she had indeed come between them once before. "I promise I won't do anything stupid. Luke and I are cool. He just needed to...I dunno, get closure or something."

"You'd think he'd have gotten that when he got married," she muttered. She noticed him looking at her questioningly at that statement. "Don't. I just...I want everything to go back to normal."

"It has," he said with a smirk. "You and I are together and we don't care what anyone else thinks of that."

"You make it sound so easy," she said, laughing as he shrugged his shoulders. "Just wait till you re-meet my dad."

"Ohhh, your dad always hated me," Nathan groaned. Peyton wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him lovingly.

"That's just because you weren't very nice to his little girl," she teased. "He'll like you now."

"You know, for someone who lives by the motto 'people always leave', you sure do have a lot of protective males in your life," he pointed out, making her laugh. "Seriously, if Jagielski or this Julian guy come back, I'll start getting worried."

"You have nothing to worry about," she assured him, running her hands up and down his back. "I mean, except my dad."

"He's seriously terrifying," he insisted, pulling away from her. "And come on, now I'm divorced and have a child. He's going to hate me even more."

"No he's not," she admonished. "I actually already told him about us."

"And what'd he say?" he asked nervously.

"He laughed and asked me what it was with me and the Scott boys," she laughed.

"Well, at least you settled on the best one," he said with a smirk. "I mean, other than Jamie, but he's far too young for you."

"Shut up!" she squealed, swatting his chest. "This isn't good for my stress."

"Oh God, is that going to be your new excuse for everything?" he asked.

"Only when I need you to do things for me...or be nice to me...or get my way," she said with a smirk, making him laugh.

"Right, because you've ever _not_ gotten your way with me," he said with a raised brow, laughing again when she rolled her eyes.

She walked away from him and finished putting away the last of the dishes while he leaned against the counter next to her.

"Let's do something today," she said.

"Shouldn't you be relaxing or something?" he asked seriously, concern written on his face.

"I'm not talking about anything strenuous. I just mean let's not sit around the house," she said with a shrug.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Let's just drive someplace," she said, smiling as though that was the easiest answer she could give. "In my car."

"I'm driving," he insisted seriously, making her laugh.

"Nathan, you always drive," she pouted, crossing her arms on her chest.

"And there's a reason for that," he said with a raised brow.

"I'm a good driver!" she cried indignantly.

"Sure you are, baby," he said, pulling her into his arms. "But I'm still driving."

"Fine," she mumbled. "Let's go."

She moved away from him and retreated into her room, leaving him in her whirlwind of activity. He heard her gathering things and the unmistakable sound of CDs being thrown in her purse - he'd heard that sound many times.

"Where are we going?" he called.

"I don't know! Anywhere!" she shouted.

She emerged moments later with a sweater on, and a jacket and blanket tucked beneath her arm. She had a large bag slung over her shoulder, and judging by the look on his face, he was absolutely confused. Not only was he wondering why she was bringing so much along on this spontaneous road trip, but he was also wondering again just how and why she'd chosen him.

"What?" she asked.

"You look like you're prepared for anything," he said with a laugh, grabbing just the jacket he'd had on the night before.

"I am. You never know," she shrugged. "So where are you taking me?"

"Give me the keys," he demanded with a smirk, watching as she heaved a sigh and fished her key ring out of her purse, dropping it into his hand.

"I hate surprises!" she pouted as they walked towards the door.

She put on a mellow album, perfect for a lazy drive along the coast. Nathan took back roads south, and when she tried to ask questions, he just smirked at her and told her to be patient. It was only about a half hour into the drive when she scooted closer to him on the seat and rest her head against him. He draped his arm around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her hair, and she fell asleep while he drove. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt more comfortable. He rolled the window down just a little bit, to let that salty ocean air flow into the car.

She woke up when he put the car in park, and she did that adorable thing she always did, when she buried her head in his chest and let out a little whine to make it clear that she didn't want to move.

"Where are we?" she asked, sitting up and looking out the window. All she saw was sand and ocean, and she had no idea how long she'd been asleep. They could have been anywhere along the coast.

"You don't recognize it?" he inquired, reaching for the door handle. Once he'd stepped outside, he extended his hand and pulled her out the drivers' side door so she was standing in front of him.

And then she realized where they were, and she felt like she was falling in love with him all over again.

"Nathan," she whispered. "I can't believe you remember this."

"Of course I do," he said, as though she was crazy to think otherwise.

It was only a month after he'd gotten his driver's license, and his parents had finally bought him his own car. Her father was away on a job, and Nathan had picked her up one Saturday morning without warning, telling her they were going somewhere. He didn't tell her where, because he didn't know at the time. He just wanted to drive, and he wanted his girl at his side.

They ended up at Myrtle Beach, joking that they'd fled North Carolina and all the things they had to deal with there, though they both knew that wasn't really a joke. It was the summer, so the beach was packed and she was wearing just a little red bikini and her shorts, and he'd walked around in a pair of black board shorts, of course drawing stares from girls their age. But he only had eyes for one, and her hand was tucked securely in his.

They'd strolled the beach, talking about everything or nothing or each other. They acted older than their 16 years, and she felt like he was a boy she could love. Take him away from his father and the game and the team, and he was caring and sweet, and there was something different in those blue eyes when his emotions and thoughts weren't occupied by pressure and anger and frustration.

That day, she had gotten a glimpse of the man she loved now.

It had been late when they got back to Tree Hill, and so he spent the night at her house, in her bed, with the windows open and the breeze blowing the curtains, and he had wondered if he'd ever grow up and be the kind of man she needed.

After they broke up, they didn't speak of that weekend again; not once in close to 7 years. But it seemed that neither had forgotten.

"That was one of my favourite days with you," she admitted as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Me too," he said softly, before pressing his lips to hers.

"Let's go walk the pier," she said with a smile, knowing he'd remember that that was the first thing they'd done that day all those years ago.

He kissed her forehead and took her hand, and he made a joke about that little red bikini, wondering if she had it and if she could buy another one. He told her that it had been hard to control himself that day, and she said she knew, looking at him pointedly so he understood what she was saying. It took a lot to make Nathan blush, but he was blushing, and she loved it.

"What are you looking for?" he asked with a chuckle, as she inspected the third bench they passed on the pier.

"Nothing!" she answered quickly, though she knew he'd recognize it was clearly not nothing.

"Peyton," he implored as she looked at the fourth bench.

"Here," she said softly, pointing to a particular spot.

And there, carved in that old wooden bench, was something that he'd never seen and hadn't noticed when they'd gone there last. _NS+PS_.

"I can't believe it's still here," she said with a smile, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I can't believe you, angsty little Peyton Sawyer, did this," he teased, kissing the top of her head. "I love it."

He pulled away from her and sat down on the bench, draping his arm over the back and waiting for her to sit next to him. And when she did, they both remembered the hours they'd spent there together, just sitting and talking about their teenage issues; the ones that now seemed so simple by comparison. He really couldn't believe that she'd carved their initials, or that she even remembered doing it. He didn't suspect that a grown man should have found that adolescent gesture quite so perfect, but he did.

"Where'd you get this scar?" he asked after a while, tracing his fingertip over the pink flesh near her left elbow.

"You want the real story, or the story I'm supposed to say?" she asked with a smirk.

"Real story," he insisted, furrowing his brow.

"You know Georgie, that really terrible teen singer?" she asked, watching as he nodded. "The label I worked at in L.A. signed her, and I brought her a latté _with_ foam one day, so she threw a paper weight at me."

"Are you serious?" he asked in surprise.

"Yup. 6 stitches," she said proudly. "Her lawyer and the label's lawyer worked together and I got 5 grand out of her if I promised not to press charges and never told anyone about it."

"You wouldn't have pressed charges anyway," he said, shaking his head. She smiled because he knew her well enough to know that.

"No. But her lawyer didn't need to know that," she smirked.

"Sneaky, Sawyer. What'd you do with the 5 grand?" he asked.

"Bought records," she laughed. "And it eventually paid for me to move home."

"Well, then I'm glad you're so sneaky," he said softly, leaning over to kiss her.

She settled back into his embrace, and when her left hand rest on his thigh he took it in his. His right arm was still around her shoulder, and her body was warm against his. He wasn't sure how she wasn't cold, but her sweater was folded in her lap and she made no move to put it on. He would have sat like that with her forever if she asked him to.

"When I came back here, we all knew it was for love. I just really didn't think it'd be me and you, you know?" she said seriously after a few moments. "I'm really happy, Nathan. Happier than I've been in a really long time."

"I'm glad," he said, smiling as he looked at her.

"The craziest thing is that you and I just make so much sense," she said, almost in surprise.

"Why's that crazy?" he asked. "We were never that bad together. I was just a jerk and you were just..."

"If you say a bitch, I'm _so_ not talking to you anymore," she warned teasingly.

"I was going to say complex," he said with a laugh. "I just didn't understand you back then."

"Yes you did," she countered quickly, making him scoff. "You did. You just didn't care."

"Ouch!" he cried. "That's not fair."

"Nathan," she admonished, tilting her head. "You understood me, you were just too wrapped up in your own stuff to show me that."

"Maybe," he said softly. "You always understood me, though. I could never hide anything from you. That's why you were so mad at me all the time."

"I wasn't mad _all_ the time!" she insisted. "Just when you were a jerk or you cheated on me or you blew me off to play basketball."

"So, pretty much all the time," he laughed. "Crazy how far we've come. Who would have thought we'd be the stable, somewhat normal, honest couple who didn't fight."

"Nathan," she said, unable to control her laughter. "We fight all the time! We fought yesterday. Big time."

"But not like we used to," he countered. "And we promised no more secrets."

She knew then, that even though she'd told Lucas she'd keep his visit and their conversation just between the two of them, that her word to Nathan meant more than her word to Lucas.

"OK," she sighed, and she knew that he'd know something was wrong. She only ever did that, the pre-conversation 'OK', when she had something to tell him that she knew he didn't want to hear. "In the interest of full relationship disclosure, I have to tell you something."

"Are you pregnant?" he asked urgently.

She couldn't ignore the little sparkle in his eye and the hint of a smile that graced his lips. She momentarily wondered why he'd feel that way, that bit of excitement, but then she remembered that she had to set the record straight. Children were clearly an issue for another day.

"What? No," she said, almost laughing. "No, I'm not pregnant."

"Oh," he said, and she tried to tell herself it wasn't disappointment in his tone.

"Lucas came to see me the other day," she explained, watching as he furrowed his brow questioningly. "I guess...I guess he's having a hard time with this."

"With you and me?" he asked, though he knew the answer already.

"With me and...anyone," she said, looking down to their hands.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah," she said softly. She could tell that he wasn't really upset by this news, and that he certainly wasn't surprised.

"What else did he say?" he questioned, looking at her so she'd see that he needed to know the details.

"He wants us to be friends. And, you know, _I_ want us to be friends, too. But then he made a stupid remark about me picking up someone from a bar, which I didn't let him get away with," she pointed out quickly. "And he asked if I'm happy."

"And what'd you say to that?" he asked with a smirk, knowing in his heart that there was only one answer, but needing to tease her nonetheless.

"I told him to call me if he and Lindsey break up," she joked, watching as he laughed.

And that's when they both realized just how secure they were about each others' feelings. She could say things like that without him cringing, and he could laugh because he knew she loved him, not his brother.

"You didn't have to tell me that," he said, shaking his head. "But I'm glad you did."

"We promised, right?" she said, shrugging her shoulders before she settled back into his arms.

"We promised," he confirmed.

**----**

**A/N: **OK, so it's a totally fluffy chapter after three chapters of medical scare/speculation/drama. Hope you liked it.


	16. Chapter 16

They'd spent the entire day at Myrtle Beach, eating at the same restaurant from years ago and walking in the sand, with women unabashedly staring at Nathan, though his hand was grasping Peyton's. And she didn't want to be jealous of that, since he wasn't even batting an eye, but she was. She kind of knew that was part and parcel with being Nathan Scott's girlfriend, since he was damn near irresistible to just about any woman with a pulse.

And she wanted to say that it was fine as long as she was the one getting his attention, but when a brunette with a bare midriff and a fake tan eyed him up and down as she twirled her hair, Peyton started feeling punchy. When she molded herself into his side a little closer, he knew something was going on. He just assumed that it had something to do with her medical scare and newfound sense of life.

When she wove her fingers desperately through his, though, he wondered if there was something else going on.

"So, you want to tell me what's got you clinging to me?" he asked. "I mean, not that I'm complaining."

"Nothing!" she answered quickly before realizing that her urgency did nothing to prove her statement true. "Nothing."

He didn't say anything more, he just stopped in his tracks and made her stand in front of him so he could look at her. He let her know without words that he knew there was something she wasn't telling him, and he would have brought up, once again, the fact that they'd promised no more secrets, but she started talking before he could.

"It's just hard to see all these women staring at you and know that...I dunno...that I'll always have that competition," she said, avoiding eye contact.

"Whoa, hang on," he said, making her look up at him to see the look of shock on his face. Actually, it wasn't shock, it was more that look he got when he thought she sounded absolutely insane. "Peyton, you don't have competition."

"You say that now," she mumbled.

"Haven't we already had this conversation?" he asked with a smirk. "I seem to recall making up on the kitchen table."

"Nathan!" she cried, dropping her jaw.

"What?" he laughed. "You can't expect me to forget that."

"I'm serious," she said softly, almost pouting as she hooked her fingers in his belt loops.

"Baby, why do you doubt this?" he asked as she shook her head. "Do you know that my heart races every time I see you roll your eyes, which happens a lot because that's what you do any time I say something flirty or inappropriate. That's probably mostly why I say those things, actually."

"Nate..."

"You know that I clammed up around you for two days and and picked a stupid fight because I was terrified of telling you I was falling for you?" he said, tipping her chin up with his index finger. "God, I couldn't even say I loved you until we were in the middle of a huge argument."

"OK, this is not making our relationship sound normal," she said seriously.

"That's because it's not normal," he said softly, taking her hands in his. "It never has been, and it won't be. And that's what I love about it. That's why it works."

She heaved a sigh and closed her eyes, and perhaps she should have expected him to take that moment to kiss her, but she hadn't, and so he caught her completely off guard. She felt him wrap an arm around her waist when she stumbled a bit, and when they finally parted, he just smirked at her.

"So whatever has you questioning us, ignore it, OK?" he said quietly, running his hands up and down her sides.

And what amazed her most about it all wasn't that he had just said the perfect words and given her the perfect kiss and completely reassured her. It was that he still had absolutely no idea that he was drawing stares from other women. He didn't notice them.

That was the moment she really let herself believe that he only had eyes for her.

----

It was late when they got back to Tree Hill. They'd had a playful argument and tickling match, during which she'd tried to steal the keys back from him. She'd admit that reaching into his pocket was definitely meant to distract him, but he'd just leaned down and whispered in her ear that it was the wrong pocket, then unlocked the door while she pouted.

She slept the entire way home, and wasn't awake yet when they pulled into the driveway of his home, and when he'd gently tried to shake her, she just made a cute little sound, but didn't wake up.

She didn't wake up when he lifted her out of the car, or when he fumbled with his keys and somehow opened the door - how he did that, he's still not sure. She didn't wake up when he was carrying her up the stairs. She woke up just as he'd laid her on the bed, making him let out a quiet laugh.

"Mmm," she mumbled. "Are we home?"

"Yeah, baby, we're home," he said with a smile, brushing the hair from her face.

"You carried me?" she asked sleepily, and he just nodded and placed his hand on her stomach. "That's so sweet."

"I was just about to undress you when you woke up," he said, smirking boyishly.

"Well, I'm still tired," she said, making him laugh.

"You want some help, then?" he asked, moving his hand to the button of her jeans and undoing it swiftly.

"Mhmm," she murmured. Her eyes fluttered closed, but he knew it wasn't from pleasure or anticipation. She really was just exhausted.

"Peyton," he said softly.

"Uh huh," she said quickly. He almost laughed at her adorable half-hearted attempts to stay awake.

"See, the problem here is, I'll get you half-naked, and you'll look all sexy in these," he paused to confirm, "mmm, purple underwear, and then you'll be asleep and I'll be left...frustrated."

"Guilt trips aren't good for my stress," she pointed out as she lifted her hips so he could tug the fabric of her jeans down her legs.

"I so should have seen that coming," he laughed, leaning down to kiss her gently.

She let out a little giggle and he walked away from her and into the bathroom to get ready for bed, and when he returned, he noticed her bare shoulders as the covers were tucked up around her. She was already asleep, which didn't surprise him at all. When he tugged off his tee shirt and slid beneath the covers, he leaned over to kiss her temple, and then he turned out the light, laying awake for a while and thinking of how lucky he was that he'd get to fall asleep with her every night.

"I love you," he said softly, for no real reason, since she was fast asleep.

But he'd never get sick of saying it to her.

----

She woke up the next day, sprawled out and alone in Nathan's bed. The sunlight was pouring into the room, and when she sat up to look around for him, she noticed that it was after 11:00, and there was a note on the bedside table.

_Morning. Went to the River Court with the guys. Back around 11:30.__  
-Nate  
PS: You owe me for last night..._

She just laughed at the last line, and then wondered how long he'd been out and why he hadn't woken her. She suspected the answer was simple, that he would have wanted to let her get rest. Part of her felt badly for sleeping so long, but part of her felt a little rejuvenated and refreshed.

She didn't want to get out of bed just yet, but when she heard the front door open and close, and him start to walk up the stairs, she knew she was about to be teased.

"Hey," he said with a smile as he walked into the room. "Did you just wake up?"

"No...?" she said timidly, making him raise a brow as he sat down next to her. "OK, yeah."

"How do you feel?" he asked seriously after letting out a laugh.

He and Lucas had a quick conversation about her that morning. It wasn't tense or awkward, and Nathan didn't care that Lucas had gone to see her and said the things he'd said. He knew his girl was at his home, in his bed, after spending an amazing day together. Lucas had been concerned, but it was no more concern than he'd have for any other friend, and they all knew that.

"Good," she said, smiling as she rest her hand on his thigh. "Really good."

"OK, I know _that_ look," he said in a low voice, gently tugging at the sheet that was covering her.

"I read the PS," she murmured, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulling him closer to her.

"I should write you notes more often," he growled, resting his weight on his arm and looking down at her.

When he leaned down to kiss her, she didn't complain about his sweaty clothes or the fact that she hadn't left the bed in hours. It had been days since they had last been together, and she fully intended on feeling every touch, every kiss, just that little bit more. She wasn't just aching for sex, she was aching for him. And when he pulled his sweat-dampened tee shirt over his head, he was barely touching her and she let out a moan that had him grinning wolfishly.

----

After a shower and some food, Nathan was watching old game tape from college, trying to study his own game to help him get his stride back. Peyton was in a pair of her sweat pants and one of his college sweaters, sitting in a chair and stealing glances at him as he sat on the sofa, taking notes and holding the remote in his hand. She was trying desperately to focus on the book in her hands, but every move he made was drawing her attention.

Little did she know, he was having the same problem. He tried to watch the tape, and she wouldn't know that he had to rewind so much because she was completely distracting him, sitting there in his red sweater with white lettering. Something about her in his clothes always made his heart race.

She came to a chapter in her book in which the main character found out she was pregnant, and Peyton's mind was taken back to the day before and Nathan's tone and reaction when he questioned if she was pregnant. She'd never expected that, at all. She was just wondering how to bring it up, _if_ she should bring it up, and her train of thought was interrupted.

"Babe, check this out," he said, pointing to the television. "This is the best game I ever played in my life."

She looked at him and that familiar smile graced his lips; the one he always wore when he was speaking of his passion, or sinking baskets. She moved from her place and sat next to him on the sofa as he started the tape.

"This is the championship I won with Maryland," he explained.

"You were MVP of that game," she stated, making him turn to her and look at her in confusion. "What? So I followed your career a little bit."

"How come you never told me that? I thought you were all sentimental about missing my playing days," he said seriously.

"I dunno," she said with a shrug. "I didn't like, watch games or anything. But I'd see your name in the sports section sometimes."

"You were reading the sports section?" he asked with a raised brow. There was something about that, that he didn't quite believe.

"Julian did," she explained, ignoring the mocking look on his face. "Didn't you have, like, 100 points in this game?"

He knew she was changing the subject so she wouldn't have to explain herself any further, but all these little bits of information kept coming to light, letting him know more and more about the life she'd led in L.A., and he loved learning those things.

"63," he corrected with a laugh. "That's a record, though."

"That's pretty amazing," she said, watching the screen as he made a fool of the boy trying to defend him. "It's awesome that you have all this on film, too."

"It's certainly coming in handy right now," he pointed out. "And it'll be cool to have this for Jamie when he gets older, too. I'll be able to prove to my kids how impressive I used to be."

She noticed two things about that statement. One, the plural 'kids', and two, how he said 'used to be'.

"You still are impressive," she insisted adamantly, making him smile again.

"Oh, here's where I undress Kelly," he said excitedly, smiling when he watched himself on the screen, faking left and doing some spin around move to make the basket.

Every time she wanted to bring up his sudden, or maybe not so sudden, hints and comments about children, the opportunity was taken away from her, so she decided to drop it. It was far too early for them to even talk about it, anyway.

"Look at you, superstar," she murmured, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"Easy, girl," he warned teasingly, weaving his fingers through hers. "You're the one who said you didn't want to spend all day in bed."

"I'm just saying," she said shrugged, "you're not so bad at this basketball thing."

He just laughed, because for all the accolades he'd gotten over the years, her sentiments always meant just a little bit more. It may have been the way she said them, but most likely, it was just her.

"I kind of can't wait to see you playing again," she admitted.

"You watch me all the time!" he laughed, turning to look at her.

"Watching you kick Luke's ass on the River Court every couple days doesn't count," she joked. "Although, watching you kick Luke's ass _is_ pretty fun."

"You always did cheer for me, didn't you, baby," he teased, leaning in to kiss her. "I mean, you never really dated him in our playing days. So I'm just going to pretend that you were always cheering for me."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," she laughed.

"Is it completely dorky for me to say that you help me sleep at night?" he asked with a smirk, making her laugh even harder.

"Yeah, it is," she replied, leaning in and kissing him in a way that she knew was far too passionate, given that they were supposed to be watching sports and not doing anything else.

"I have a feeling that when you move in, we aren't going to be able to keep our hands off each other," Nathan laughed.

"What? Why?" she cried indignantly.

"Because we can't keep our hands off each other!" he pointed out.

"Yes we can," she scoffed. "We just don't like to."

"Well, that's true," he conceded. "But you can't expect to sit there in my team colours and not steal my attention."

"Is that why you gave me this sweater to wear?" she asked, standing from her place and walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" he called after her.

She didn't answer, instead she returned a few moments later with two glasses of water, and he just smiled at her as she sat back down next to him and opened her book once more, draping her legs over his. They sat like that for a while, with him telling her to watch certain moves that he deemed impressive, and her watching on proudly.

There was something different about this Nathan from the teenaged version, basketball-wise. As a teenager, he'd been so pressured and ostracized by Dan, that the passion for it was quelled. It was all different now. He was in love with the game in its purest form, and that love made him want to work just that bit harder to get it back. She had no doubt in her mind that he'd play again. He may not make the NBA, but he'd be the best he could possibly be, and she couldn't be prouder of him for that.

"Aww, look at Jamie," she pointed out. The boy was toddling around on the sidelines after the game, all blonde hair and toothy grin. Nathan hadn't thought she'd been paying attention, since she was still holding her book. "He's so cute I can't handle it."

"Yeah, he would have been three here, I guess," Nathan said with a smile. "He was so funny at that age."

She knew it was nothing more than an observation of a stage in his life that she'd been absent for. Nothing more than a simple statement, reminding her, though she certainly didn't need it, of how much he loved his son, and loved being a father.

"Nate, can I ask you something?" she said seriously, closing her book once more and setting it on the coffee table.

"Of course, you can," he said, turning off the television, since her tone indicated this conversation was going to require all his attention.

"I was just kind of...I mean, yesterday when we were talking, you kind of jumped to the pregnancy conclusion pretty quickly," she explained, doing her best to try not to seem like she was proposing anything.

"I know it was kind of crazy, since we've always been careful..."

"No," she interrupted, shaking her head. "No, it's not that. I just..."

"What?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"When I said I wasn't, you just seemed almost...disappointed or something, and I don't know if that was all in my head or not," she finished quietly, looking downward and avoiding whatever look was on his face.

"It definitely wasn't in your head," he said with a smile. "I mean, it's way too early, but I'd be crazy not to want a baby with you. And...wow, that sounds really intense."

She just laughed because she wasn't sure what else to do. He was adorable when he was being vulnerable, and his confession gave her butterflies in her stomach.

"Are you...I mean, if things are moving way too fast for you, just tell me and we'll dial it back," he said quickly, sensing that she was thinking something she wasn't saying.

"No, Nathan, I don't want to dial it back," she assured him. "I just wanted to kind of clear that up."

"Does that like, freak you out or something?" he asked worriedly.

"No," she said softly, taking his hand in hers. "I've always wanted kids."

"Well, do you want them with me? I mean, eventually?"

The way he asked it led her to believe that he was just begging for her to say yes, holding his breath waiting for her response. He hadn't necessarily expected her to bring it up, but he could certainly understand why she had. He'd made a couple comments, and if he was being honest, a part of him _had_ been a little disappointed. He'd never been one to take his relationships slowly, that was no secret, and the thought of having a child with her made him genuinely happy, whether that happened in a few months or a few years.

"I think our babies will be beautiful," she answered honestly, watching as he smiled.

"Good answer," he said, moving so he was perched over her as she lay on the sofa.

"We really can't keep our hands off each other," she said between kisses.

"I told you, it's the sweater," he insisted, though they both knew it was far more than just the sweater. "We should probably get this off you."

"That's not gonna help," she laughed.

"Oh, it'll help for what I have planned," he said in a low voice, slipping his hands beneath the fabric.

"Nathan!" she giggled when his cold hands came in contact with her skin.

He was just about to respond with something flirty that he knew would make her blush - and he _loved_ to make her blush - when there was a knock at the door. He dropped his head to her shoulder and groaned.

"We have to be the most interrupted couple ever," he complained as he sat up.

"I think we just have sex a lot, so the odds are against us," she pointed out with a smirk, making him chuckle.

"Well, when you put it like that..." he started, but whoever was at the door knocked again.

He heaved a sigh and stood from the sofa while Peyton ran her fingers through her hair and got up to walk into the kitchen. She started tidying up from their late lunch, and she didn't hear him come into the room until she heard something slam down on the counter.

"You scared me!" she said, placing a hand over her heart.

"Girl Scout cookies!" he said, as though they were the bane of his existence. "Freaking Girl Scout cookies."

She burst into a fit of laughter, and his annoyance dissipated as he watched her.

"Who would have thought that Nathan Scott's game would have been hindered by the Girl Scouts," she said breathlessly. He just shook his head. "Sorry, babe."

"At least the cookies are good, right?" he said, moving to stand in front of her.

"OK, I have to go," she said, just as he'd rested his hands on her hips. She knew where this was headed, and she needed to nip it in the bud.

"What? Why?" he asked, almost pouting.

"Because, the sooner I go home, the sooner I talk to Brooke. And the sooner I talk to Brooke, the sooner I move in."

"Well, then this is probably the only time you'll ever hear me say this, but get the hell out of my house, Sawyer," he said with a smirk before leaning down to kiss her.

"OK, I'll probably stay there tonight, but call me later," she demanded, moving away from him and grabbing her bag from the counter.

"Can I have my sweater back?" he asked, half-teasingly.

"No," she said, shaking her head. He opened his mouth to ask why, but she beat him to it. "I'm not wearing anything underneath, and I really do have to go."

"Stupid Girl Scouts!" he shouted, making her laugh.

She made her way to the door, but he caught up with her and reached for her hand.

"I love you," he said softly, pressing his lips to hers.

"I love you, too," she said with a smile.

And, though she'd never say it, she was kind of cursing the Girl Scouts, too.

And she'd just stepped outside, wondering how she was going to broach the subject of moving out with Brooke, and she decided that maybe the Girl Scouts had perfect timing.

When she stepped back into the kitchen and grabbed one of the boxes of cookies, Nathan looked at her quizzically.

"Peace offering," she said seriously, making him laugh before she turned around and left again.

He was left wondering why all his relationships - well all three he'd really had, with only two girls - seemed to move so quickly. It was no secret that Nathan was an intense person. Full of fire and passion. What he loved, he _really_ loved, and what he hated, he _really_ hated. There wasn't much of an in between. He hadn't really expected Peyton to bring up the subject of children, but he was happy that she had. It was a conversation they didn't really need to have for quite some time, but it confirmed for him, though he didn't necessarily need it, that their relationship meant as much to her as it did to him. She wanted them to get to that stage eventually, just as he did.

In the beginning, he'd vowed to himself to take this one slow, but taking it slow was the last thing he wanted to do.


	17. Chapter 17

Peyton drove through town towards her own home, taking a bit of a detour to buy herself some time to come up with a way to bring up her wanting to move out. She knew in her heart that Brooke would be supportive and happy, but there was still a part of her that was always a little bit nervous to come clean about things. After all, their history wasn't exactly a shining example of what happens when you tell the truth. Of course, this situation was nothing like the one they'd previously been in.

She stopped in at the grocery store and ran into Deb, and the two had a long talk about Nathan and their relationship. Deb said that Nathan had told her about asking Peyton to move in, and she was just waiting for her to decide. The older woman told Peyton that Nathan's house was in need of a woman's touch, and that she was thrilled that Peyton was going to be the one to bring it.

What Peyton realized as she pulled into her driveway, was that she hadn't really thought about anything at all on her drive home. She'd briefly looked back on the twisted history of her group of friends, and then she'd bumped into Deb and she was thinking of her future - the one she hoped wouldn't be twisted.

"Hey! Where were you yesterday?" Brooke inquired when she noticed Peyton strolling through the door.

"Hey. Nate and I went to Myrtle Beach," Peyton answered, knowing that Brooke was well aware of the significance of that place.

"Oh my God, that's so cute I think I'm going to be sick," Brooke teased.

She moved to the kitchen and began putting away the few groceries she'd bought, holding up the chocolate she was replacing for Brooke, which was met with an appreciative smile.

"It was a good day," Peyton said, realizing that it was a huge understatement. She moved to the sofa and sad town, and glanced at the sketches Brooke was working on and her eyes went wide. "Brooke, these are amazing!"

"Thanks," she replied happily. "Just got some inspiration back, I guess. Now, you want to tell me what sparked the shouting match I walked in on a couple days ago?"

"Oh, right," Peyton said softly, turning to face her friend. "It was just...I kind of had a scare."

"Pregnancy?" Brooke asked urgently, looking at Peyton imploringly.

"Cancer," Peyton replied quietly. Brooke took an audible breath and placed her hand on Peyton's forearm. "I'm fine. Everything's fine, but I kind of didn't tell Nathan anything, and he found out from Lindsey."

"You didn't tell him?" Brooke asked, eyes wide with surprise as she shook her head. "Peyton..."

"I know," she conceded. "I should have, but I was just so scared."

"I can see why he was upset, then," Brooke said seriously, elaborating when Peyton looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Well, not only did he have to think about losing you, but you kept a huge, potentially life-changing secret from him, Peyton."

"I know," she said softly. "I just...needed to not tell him."

"You need to be _honest_ with him, though," Brooke countered. "I mean, I'm sure you were terrified, but you can't just live through this stuff alone."

"I know," Peyton said, nodding her head. She did know that. "Honestly, I was thinking more about him than I was about me."

"How do you figure?" Brooke furrowed her brow and shook her head again, really not understanding Peyton's motives.

"You know how he is. He gets all protective and intense, and..."

"That's why we love him, though!" Brooke said seriously. "I know that sounds crazy, but it's that Papa-Bear mentality that makes Nathan, _Nathan_."

"He's not a Papa-Bear to anyone other than Jamie!" Peyton said with a barely contained laugh.

"Well, he's...something else that's protective. Especially with you, these days," Brooke said, shrugging her shoulders. "He pretty much sends a death glare to anyone who looks at you sideways, Peyton."

"Well _anyway_, I'm fine and we're good and we did the 'I love you' thing, so...yeah," Peyton said, looking down at her hands.

"Wait, you actually said it!?" Brooke squealed. It amazed them both how quickly Brooke could go from concerned and solemn to excited and girly.

"Yelled it, more like," Peyton laughed. "It was...intense."

"You know what, though? That sounds kind of perfect for you two," Brooke said.

"I know," Peyton sighed, almost dreamily.

She thought of the day they'd had the day before, and the talks they'd had. They'd talked about kids, for crying out loud! Things were moving so fast, and the old Peyton Sawyer would have been running for the hills. This Peyton Sawyer dove right in, and was loving every second of it.

"So listen, I need to talk to you about something," Peyton said, almost nervously.

She knew Brooke would understand, but a part of her - a small part that was hidden behind the huge part that wanted the opposite - didn't want to leave. She loved that house and it had become a home, and she loved living with Brooke and having her best friend on hand.

But then, she thought, she wasn't so desperate for that support any more. She wasn't heartbroken and falling apart and feeling inadequate. She didn't need someone on hand in case she needed to break down or burn books or cry and eat ice cream or trash talk a perfectly nice girl. Those days were long over.

"What's up?" Brooke asked absently as she effortlessly sketched the detail of the new dress she was designing.

"Nathan and I...I mean...He kind of asked me to move in with him," she said, speaking again before Brooke had a chance to say anything. "And I already said that I would but I didn't talk to you and so I feel bad about it, and I don't know if you..."

"Peyton, take a breath," Brooke laughed. "You have my permission. I mean, not that you _need_ it, but I know you _want_ it."

"Thanks," Peyton said with a chuckle. "I know it's crazy and early and really sudden. So, are you sure you're OK with it?"

"OK with my non-rent-paying roommate to leave to shack up with the man she loves so she's his problem now? Yeah, I'm OK with it," Brooke teased, making them both laugh. "Seriously, Peyton, I think it's great."

"I kind of expected you to be surprised or something!" Peyton exclaimed.

"Oh please, this relationship? Peyton, I have never, not once since I've known you, seen you _so_ happy," Brooke said seriously. "So no, it doesn't surprise me that you are moving in with him."

"Is it crazy that I am like..._not_ running away from him?" Peyton asked, turning to Brooke and tucking her leg beneath her. "I mean, it hasn't even been two months and we're already moving in, and talking about really heavy things and..."

"How heavy?" Brooke asked with a furrowed brow.

"Um...kids heavy?" Peyton said, grimacing as she waited for a reaction.

"Holy shit," Brooke muttered, making Peyton laugh. "Yes, it's crazy that you're not running away from him."

"Yeah."

"Well, Nathan's never been one to move too slowly into things he believes in," Brooke explained. "And the boy can be damn persuasive."

"Yes, he can," Peyton agreed. "I mean, not that he has to persuade me into doing anything. I think that's the scariest thing."

"That you trust him that much?" Brooke asked, watching as Peyton nodded. "Peyton, that boy loves you."

"He'd so hate you for calling him a boy," Peyton laughed, standing from her place. She pulled the box of cookies from her purse, and tossed them to Brooke, who shot her a questioning glance. "I was going to try to bribe you with cookies if you got mad that I was going to be moving."

"It would have worked!" Brooke proclaimed. "I love these things." Peyton just laughed as she watched her best friend tear open the box and bite into a cookie. "So when am I losing you?"

"I don't know," Peyton shrugged. "There's no rush, really. I'm not supposed to do any strenuous activity for a while. I don't think lifting boxes would be the best idea."

"Isn't that what you have a boyfriend for?" Brooke said with a furrowed brow, making them both laugh.

"Yeah, he'll be doing the lifting," Peyton assured her. "But it'd be cool to have a couple girls' nights or something first, you know?"

"Peyton, you're moving 10 minutes away!" Brooke teased. She'd never really known Peyton to be quite that sentimental. "Have you ever lived with a boy before?"

"Yeah, Julian," Peyton reminded her best friend as she took a cookie. "But that was...I mean, it wasn't like this."

"Right. Rebound boy," Brooke said with a wink. "Nathan is _so_ not a rebound. You know, if you think about it? Luke was kind of your rebound! Always!"

"What?" She could only laugh at Brooke's obvious enthusiasm for whatever insane theory she'd thought up.

"Think about it," Brooke started, setting her sketches on the table and turning to Peyton. "You broke up with Nathan, you went after Luke. You broke up with Jake, you went after Luke. You broke up with Julian, you went after Luke. He's like, the ultimate rebound."

"You, Miss Davis, have an overactive imagination," Peyton said, shaking her head. "I don't really think Lucas was a rebound from anything. He was just..."

"Lucas," Brooke filled in seriously. "I know. But...if you're ever in a bind trying to convince Nathan, just go with that theory."

"I don't have to convince Nathan of anything!" Peyton said indignantly. "He knows what's up."

"_Knows what's up_?" Brooke asked with a raised brow. "Are you signing hip hop artists now?"

"Actually, I've been listening to a few demos," Peyton said. "Some of them aren't bad. Oh! That reminds me, I need to call Haley. There's this singer in Charlotte that I want to go see, and I want her to come with me."

"Mia the second?" Brooke asked with interest.

"Well, it's a guy, so no," Peyton laughed. "I'm gonna call her right now. Hey, we should have a girls' night tonight! Dinner and wine or whatever. I'll call Lindsey, too."

"OK, who are you and what have you done with my Peyton?" Brooke laughed, getting serious when Peyton looked at her with a raised brow. "It is so weird that you are friends with Lindsey now."

"It's not that weird," Peyton insisted, but Brooke raised an eyebrow and Peyton knew she was about to point out, in that very distinct Brooke Davis way, that it definitely was weird. "OK, whatever. It's a little weird. I'm going to make the call."

Brooke just laughed and bit into another cookie. The more she thought of the relationships and how much things had changed - or gone back to the way they used to be - the more she wondered how in the world they were all still friends. She and Lucas dated. Lucas and Peyton dated. Lucas and Nathan hated each other. Nathan and Peyton dated. Nathan and Haley were married. Nathan and Brooke had an 'indiscretion' that resulted in a sex tape. Brooke and Chase had dated. It was making her head spin to think about it, so she stopped.

As she ate her fourth cookie, she vowed to live in the moment. The moment where she was reconnecting (quickly) with Chase, and Nathan and Peyton were happy together.

----

When Nathan got the call that evening from Haley, asking if he'd like to have Jamie for the night so she could have an evening with the girls. He of course, said that he would love to, and when Haley dropped of his son, she said that Peyton had called her earlier and said that they were all meeting at Brooke's.

He knew, instinctively, that Peyton had talked to Brooke. He knew his girlfriend, and he was well aware that she'd get all sentimental and want to spend some time in the house before moving out for good.

"Hey Jamie," Nathan said happily after they'd finished a snack. "I want to talk to you about something."

"OK," Jamie said, turning to his dad as they sat at the counter.

"You know me and Peyton are dating," Nathan started, watching as Jamie nodded his head. "Well, she's going to move in here and live with me."

"Really?" Jamie asked with a smile. "That's cool!"

Nathan could only laugh. How in the world did he end up with the genius child?

"Are you OK with that? That doesn't make you feel...weird or anything?" Nathan asked. He was well aware that his questions were ridiculous, but that conversation just seemed to go far too smoothly.

"Yeah," Jamie shrugged. "I like Peyton, and it's good to have someone here who can cook."

"I can cook!" Nathan cried indignantly.

"Not as good as she can," Jamie pointed out innocently enough, though they both knew he was mostly just joking with his dad.

"Well, that's true," Nathan conceded. "I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. You and I will still have our alone time and everything."

"OK. This house is too big for just you to live in by yourself," Jamie explained, making Nathan smile. Those were his sentiments exactly.

"Well, if you ever feel weird about anything, I want you to tell me, alright?" Nathan said, watching as Jamie rolled his eyes.

"Yes, daddy, I get it."

"OK!" Nathan said, raising his hands in defeat, as he could see that Jamie was growing irritated with the constant concern. "Now, you wanna help me with something?"

"Sure!"

"Alright. Come on," Nathan said, picking Jamie up and lifting him into the air before setting him on his feet and heading off towards the stairs.

Nathan immediately wondered if he should have talked to Haley before saying anything to Jamie, but given the way their last conversation on the topic of his relationship went, he was sure she'd understand. That, and he had a feeling that Peyton was going to be telling all the girls at the same time anyway. He didn't believe he had any reason to be nervous.

"OK dad, what now?" Jamie asked as they stepped into the room that would become Peyton's office. "Where'd all the stuff go?"

Nathan had started cleaning out the room as soon as Peyton left that day. He wanted it to be ready for her to move in as soon as she wanted to, and he knew that she'd want to make it her own as soon as possible. Something told him that immediately after she moved in, she'd be spending time in there, making the room feel like her.

"This is going to be Peyton's office," Nathan explained. "Since she has a real job."

"Basketball is a real job!" Jamie insisted, and they both laughed.

"Maybe for some people," Nathan said. "But she's got hundreds of records, and I got these shelves for her."

"Hundreds?" Jamie asked with wide eyes.

"Hundreds," Nathan confirmed, nodding for emphasis. "So you wanna help me put these together?"

"Sure!"

"Alright, kiddo, let's get this done tonight so we can go to the River Court tomorrow before we have to take you back to your mom's," Nathan said.

Jamie happily picked up the instructions, though he didn't really understand them at all, and made Nathan laugh when he was describing what pieces went where. They were halfway done the job when they took a break and Nathan grabbed them each a drink and a couple pieces of fruit for a snack.

"Daddy, do you think uncle Luke is going to move away?" Jamie asked out of nowhere, catching Nathan completely off guard.

"What? No," Nathan insisted with a furrowed brow. "Where'd you hear that?"

"I heard him and mommy talking the other day," Jamie said, shrugging his shoulders. "He said something about New York."

"I don't think he's going anywhere, buddy," Nathan assured his son, though he definitely didn't know if that was true. He assumed that Lucas would talk to him about something so huge. "I think uncle Lucas likes it here too much."

"Good. I don't want him to move," Jamie said seriously.

"Me neither," Nathan agreed. "OK, let's get back to work. It's almost bed time for you." He clapped his hands together and tried to stop his mind from racing, wondering if there was any reason to worry about his brother leaving their town.

----

Peyton, Brooke, Haley and Lindsey all sat around the living room of Brooke's house, glasses of wine in hand after eating pizza from their favourite restaurant. Lucas would be picking up Lindsey and Haley to drive them home later, so they were each on their third glass of wine, with no intentions of stopping drinking until they really wanted to. It was a rare thing for them all to drink together like that, and they were all giggly as they told stories and made jokes.

"OK girls," Peyton said from her place. "There's a reason we called you here this evening."

"Why does this sound like a serious thing," Haley said with a smirk as she threw glances at Lindsey and Brooke.

"Nathan and I..."

"You're pregnant!" Lindsey filled in, making Peyton laugh.

What the hell was with everyone thinking she was pregnant?

"No!" she replied quickly. "No, God, I'm not pregnant."

She cast a glance at Haley and saw that the prospect of her being pregnant wasn't really having any effect on her, which actually made her let out a sigh of relief, for a reason she wasn't really sure. She was just happy that when the time came, whenever that would be, she could be sure that Haley wouldn't feel uncomfortable about it. And why Peyton was looking that far into the future, she still didn't know.

"Sorry," Lindsey laughed, making them all do the same.

"We're moving in together. Well, I'm moving in with him, technically," Peyton finished. Her news was met with a chorus of happy sentiments and smiles, and she felt relieved that no one was questioning the timing.

They all chatted a while longer, and when Brooke took Lindsey into her office to show off a few new dress designs, Peyton took the opportunity to talk to Haley alone. She didn't get any indication that Haley was anything less than happy for her, but she still wanted to be sure.

"So, maybe I should have done this first, instead of telling everyone all at once," Peyton started almost timidly. "But are you alright with this?"

"Three drink Peyton is nervous?" Haley teased. They all knew that after a few drinks, Peyton was nothing but talkative and happy-go-lucky. "I'm really alright with this. It'll be good for you. And Nathan. And even Jamie."

"It amazes me how strong you are," Peyton said seriously. "God, Lucas and I were apart for three years and I freaked out over him and Lindsey. You're just...you're amazing."

"Well, thanks," Haley said, half-jokingly. "I can just see that what you and Nathan have is real. Who am I to stand in the way of that?"

"Um...his ex-wife?" Peyton pointed out, making them both laugh. "So you're not...weirded out by it at all?"

"I'm a little weirded out that you haven't run for the hills yet!" Haley laughed.

"Oh trust me, so I am. So is Brooke. So is Nathan, probably," Peyton said, shaking her head.

"What are you laughing about?" Brooke asked as she and Lindsey stepped back into the room.

"The fact that there isn't a Peyton-shaped hole in Nathan's front door yet," Haley teased, making Peyton's jaw drop.

"Luke and I were talking about that the other day!" Lindsey laughed.

"You two talk about Peyton and Nathan?" Brooke asked, clearly in shock.

"Sure we do," Lindsey said from the kitchen, shrugging her shoulders as she refilled everyone's wine glasses. "I was just saying, I mean, not that I knew you in high school, but by the sounds of it, you kinda scared easily."

Brooke and Haley burst into laughter, while Peyton's eyes went wide at the statement. She was still smiling, however.

"I hate you guys!" she shouted teasingly. "And you," she pointed to Lindsey, "you're new! You don't know."

"Please. I spent a year editing a book about you running scared," Lindsey said playfully. It wasn't lost on any of the women how remarkable it was that they could joke like that without threats of bloodshed.

Another glass of wine, and Brooke had put on some of her favourite music, and the girls spent the rest of the evening talking and joking, reminiscing and catching up, though they didn't really need it. It was just nice for them all to be in the same space.

When Nathan called around 10:30, he'd expected Peyton to maybe be a little tipsy. He quickly learned that she was a bit past being just tipsy.

"Hi!" she said excitedly, as though she hadn't just seen him that day, or hadn't expected him to call.

"Hey," he laughed. He heard the music and voices in the background, and he wondered briefly what kind of trouble those girls were up to. "How are you?"

"Good!" She ran onto the balcony to take the call, though all her friends knew who it was.

"Sounds like you're having fun," Nathan said.

"Uh huh. I miss you though," she said as seriously as she could given that she'd had 5 glasses of wine. "How was your night with Jamie?"

"Good," he insisted. "The usual. Hang out, talk, laugh, do something to surprise you."

"Surprise! I love surprises," she said happily.

"Babe, you hate surprises," he laughed, knowing she tended to complain any time she wasn't let in on something right away.

"Not always," she said softly. "So what is it?"

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise, will it?"

"Peyton! Come here and tell the story about that weekend you came to New York!" Brooke called from the living room.

"I gotta go, Nate," she said, though she was sure he'd heard Brooke's request.

"OK, I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said with a laugh. "Want me to bring you my hangover cure in the morning?"

"I won't be hungover!" she cried indignantly.

"Peyton, you'll be hungover, for sure," he told her.

"Whatever, fine," she said, pouting because she knew he was probably going to end up being right, and she'd have to see that smug look on his face when he realized it. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said softly.

His heart raced when she said those words, and somehow, they were still in that phase of their relationship when everything the other person does is absolutely amazing. Just the way she said it and her tone and the fact that she'd said it before him, made it seem like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Maybe it was.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Nathan and Jamie hung out at the River Court for a bit, taking on Junk and Skills in a quick game, which they won, before heading over to Haley's place. He'd called her that morning to let her know what time he'd be bringing Jamie by, and she sounded terrible, so he promised to bring her his hangover cure as well. He'd offered to keep Jamie until she felt better, but she assured him she'd be alright. She told him to stop by at Lucas and Lindsey's, too, and to take enough of whatever he was bringing for Brooke and Peyton both. Driving to her place, Nathan explained that Jamie should be extra quiet that day and do everything his mommy asked him to do.

When he got to the door and walked inside, he found Haley in her sweats in the kitchen, nursing a tall glass of water. She smiled when he set the paper bag down in front of her.

"Hey mama," Jamie said, his tone quiet as he hopped up onto the chair next to hers.

"Hey buddy, how was your night?" she asked with interest, as Nathan grabbed her a spoon, and refilled her glass of water, moving around the kitchen comfortably.

"So much fun," he said happily.

"I'm glad," Haley said, blinking slowly as Nathan set the items in front of her and she began removing his 'tried and true' remedy from the bag.

"2 Advil, a yogurt, a banana, and a bottle of Gatorade," he explained.

It was something he and his teammates had come up with in college. After a couple rough nights of 'team building', they put their heads together and created the perfect hangover remedy. It wasn't a cure - they were convinced there wasn't one - but it certainly helped.

"Thank you so much, Nathan," she said gratefully.

"Are you sick, mama?" Jamie asked innocently.

"Oh, honey," she said sweetly, pressing a kiss to his head. "I'm not sick, I'm just sleepy, that's all."

"You sure you're OK?" Nathan asked. Haley wasn't a big drinker, so he knew she must have been hurting.

"I'll be fine," she insisted with a smile. "I think it's a movie day."

"Movie day!" Jamie said excitedly, and Nathan winced, watching Haley rub her temple.

"Quiet voice today, Jimmy-jam," Nathan reminded his son as Haley shook her head at her own foolishness. She really should have known better. "I'll see you later, OK?"

"Bye daddy."

Nathan leaned down and kissed the top of Jamie's head before sending Haley a wave and a sympathetic smile, which she returned as she downed her painkillers.

Nathan knew that Peyton and Brooke would have drank more than Haley, so he was worried about what he'd walk into when he got to their house. He had one more stop to make, however.

When he got to the bedroom door of Lucas and Lindsey's place, he tapped lightly on the glass twice, smiling sympathetically when Lindsey opened the door in her pajamas and took the bag from his hand.

"Thanks," she mumbled as Lucas laughed from his desk.

"No problem," he said, trying not to snicker. "Should I prepare for the worst before going over there?"

"She and Brooke were still going when Lucas picked Haley and I up," she explained, grimacing at the thought of having drank any more and feeling worse than she already did.

"Fantastic," Nathan said sarcastically. "I'll see you guys later. Feel better."

"Hmph," she mumbled, making both Scott brothers laugh as she closed the door.

----

When Nathan got to Brooke's place - he no longer considered it Peyton's place, and that may have meant he was jumping the gun, but he didn't care - he didn't knock. He just walked in. The house was eerily quiet, and he noticed both girls' bedroom doors closed. He glanced toward the kitchen and saw 5 empty wine bottles, and it didn't take him long to do the math on that. 4 girls, 5 bottles of wine. He could only shake his head.

He grabbed two bottles of water and a couple spoons, and walked towards Brooke's room first. He tapped gently on the door before walking in. She mumbled something incoherent and opened one eye slowly.

"For the hangover," he said softly, winking at her as she groaned and buried her head in the pillows.

He didn't say anything more before leaving the room and tugging the door closed behind him. He stepped across the hall and pushed the door open, peering in and seeing Peyton laying on her side, eyes open as though she were waiting for him to come in.

"Hey." He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, making his way to her and sitting down on the bed next to her. "Lindsey said you might be hurting."

"So you saw everyone else before you saw me," she said incredulously. Had he not been looking at her and seeing the smile on her face, he would have worried that she was serious.

"Yes, actually," he said with a laugh. "But, I brought you some of that mint chocolate you love from that shop downtown. No one else got that."

"Aww," she cooed, looking at him with doe eyes. He was just too damn sweet sometimes.

"And no one else gets me. Not like you do," he added, making her smile. It could have been interpreted as cocky, but his tone wasn't at all implying that he meant it that way. "How are you?"

"Not as bad as Brooke," she admitted. "Headache, though."

"You throw up?" he asked, brushing the hair from her face gently.

"Not as bad as Brooke," she repeated, making him laugh again. "Get comfy."

"You're not going anywhere today, are you?" He shrugged off his jacket, and kicked off his shoes, and moved to the other side of the bed, reaching for the remote control as he slid beneath the sheets.

"Probably not, and neither are you," she demanded, curling up against him as he switched on the TV.

"Peyton, you'll feel better once you eat what I brought you and drink some Gatorade," he promised, opening the bottle of red liquid and handing it to her. "Trust me."

"I think there's a CSI marathon on," she said, pulling open the yogurt and taking a spoonful.

"You want to watch gruesome dead bodies for hours after a night of drinking?" he asked cautiously.

"OK, gross," she said, making him laugh. "When you put it like that, no, I don't."

"Meet Joe Black is on," he observed, flipping through channels.

"I love this movie," she mused, looking up at him with what may have been the most adorable look he'd ever seen.

She was completely out of sorts, wearing just a grey tank top, her bottom half covered by her blankets. Her hair was an absolute disaster, most likely from a late night that ended in her collapsing into bed not caring about what she'd look like in the morning, hitting the pillow without a second though. She had on no makeup, and her eyes were tired and a little bleary. But she still took his breath away.

He assumed it was because she wouldn't, under any circumstances, let anyone else see her like that. It was a look reserved only for him, only because she knew he wouldn't judge her. And he'd tell her she was gorgeous, but he knew she'd scoff and wave off his comment. And that only made her sexier.

"Isn't it about a dead guy or something?" he asked, setting the remote back on the bedside table and laying back on the bed as he watched Brad Pitt eat a spoonful of peanut butter.

"No, the guy _is_ Death," Peyton explained. "It's a great love story."

"Whatever you say, babe," he said with a chuckle, watching her down some more Gatorade.

She settled into his side after she'd finished downing the contents of his little 'kit', and made a comment about him having an unusual amount of pride for having come up with it. He just shrugged his shoulders and insisted that she'd thank him later, and that if his phone rang and Haley and Lindsey were thanking him too, she'd think twice about making fun of him.

Towards the end of the movie, he noticed her reach up and wipe her eye in a way that she probably thought was subtle.

"Are you crying?" he asked, half-smirking, because something about her wiping little tears and sniffling over a movie was just the most beautiful thing.

"A little," she said softly, looking up at him.

"You really do love this movie, don't you?" he asked, pulling her a little closer.

"Don't you?"

"It's good. But I'm not like, blown away," he said, and she felt him shrug his shoulders.

"Nathan, it's about love, and life and jumping in feet first. Making sacrifices, and taking chances and letting things take you where they're going to take you," she started rambling. "Trusting that love is enough and it'll make everything else worthwhile. How can you...? How can that not blow you away?"

She was sitting up and looking at him, waiting for a response she wasn't sure she'd get.

And he was speechless because she was obviously so passionate. He loved that about her. And her explanation of the movie made all the sense in the world to him.

"_You_ blow me away," he said softly, pulling her back towards him and pressing a kiss to her temple. "You realize that you just described our entire relationship. All those things you just said. That's us."

She just pulled away and looked at him with a smile, realizing that he was absolutely right. They'd both thrown caution to the wind and gotten together, trusting that whatever was between them was real and would last, and that everyone else would understand. And if they hadn't understood, the two of them still would have no doubt stayed together.

"You're like my very own Joe Black," she said, semi-teasingly.

"Except I'm better looking than Brad Pitt," he said seriously.

"Sure you are, baby," she said, patting his cheek gently.

"Oh, you're just mean," he mumbled, making her laugh as she stood from the bed.

His eyes glazed over a bit when he watched her. She was wearing only her grey tank top and a pair of black underwear, and she stretched her arms over her head, revealing inches of her stomach and arching her back.

"I should go check on Brooke," she explained.

"No!" he said quickly, reaching for her wrist and pulling her back onto the bed. "You're not going anywhere."

"Nate, I'm really not in the mood," she informed him seriously as he intertwined their hands.

"I know," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I just want you with me."

His phone beeped, indicating he'd received a text, and he flipped it open, smiling smugly when he read the message from Haley. He showed the screen to Peyton, and the words, _'Thank you!!'_ were spelled out for her to read. She could only roll her eyes at him.

"But how are you feeling?" he asked seriously.

"I feel fine, actually," she said in surprise. "So your little remedy wasn't just for show."

"So let's do something, then," he proposed.

"Like what?"

"Nothing big," he shrugged. "Just a walk or something."

"I really should check on Brooke," she said, reaching for a pair of shorts.

"I'll check on Brooke. You shower and do whatever you have to do," he insisted, standing up from his place.

And he was starting to kind of hate that she 'wasn't in the mood'. Because when his hands landed on her hips and he realized that there was very, very little clothing between them and her bare skin, it was all he could do not to lay her down. She picked up on the look in his eye that told him that he was thinking less than pure thoughts.

"OK, get out," she said with a laugh. "I know that look."

"You love that look," he reminded her, kissing her forehead before letting her walk to the bathroom. He unabashedly checked her out as she walked, and immediately regretted it, since, _damn_, she was amazing.

He shook his head a little to stop his mind from racing, and after about ten minutes, which he spent tidying her room and making her bed for her, he stepped out into the hall. He was more than a little surprised to find Brooke sitting at the counter in the kitchen, nursing a glass of water and flipping through a magazine.

"Hey," she said nonchalantly. "Thanks for the survival kit."

"I see it worked," he said with a smile. "I don't know why people doubt me."

"Well, I won't doubt you on this one ever again," she promised, making him laugh. "Where's your girl?"

He couldn't help but smile at that question. Brooke didn't fail to notice that, either.

"Shower," he said simply. "We're going for a walk in a bit. You wanna come?"

"Chase is coming over," she explained, watching as the smirk spread across his face. "What?"

"Nothing!" he said quickly.

"Nathan, am I crazy?" she asked seriously. "Starting things with Chase again?"

"Brooke, look who you're talking to," he pointed out, turning to face her.

"I know, but you guys are different. Chase and I...It's like, we had our chance, you know? You and Peyton were too young and _so_ different from the people you are now," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just worried I'm going to put the effort into this and it's going to end the same way it did last time."

"But you owe it to yourself to find out, don't you?" he asked. "I mean, if you didn't have feelings for him, you wouldn't even be in the position you're in."

"I guess," she conceded, looking down at her hands.

"And you are so different from how you were when we graduated," he assured her. "You're one of the strongest people I know now."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. "I just don't want to get my heart broken again."

He let out a soft laugh at her admission. Not many people got to see Brooke Davis' vulnerable side, and he kind of liked that she was comfortable enough with him and their friendship that she'd confide in him.

"Neither did I," he explained. "I thought me and Haley were forever, you know? But sometimes it doesn't work out that way."

"I guess," she said with a nod. "And look at you now. You and Peyton are so happy."

"Exactly." He smiled again at the mention of his relationship, and Brooke would have made fun of him for that, but she could tell he just loved her best friend that much. "Brooke, you have to open yourself up to that. You can't be scared of what may or may not happen."

"When did you get so smart?" she asked after a moment. He just shrugged his shoulders again. "Thanks, Nathan."

"Anytime, Brooke," he said with a smile.

Peyton had caught the tail end of the conversation between her boyfriend and her best friend, and it somehow made her love them both a little more. Nathan's little pep-talk and reassurance was something she never would have expected him to do for Brooke, but she was happy that he'd done it. Sometimes Brooke's mind could be her own worst enemy, scared and a little shy and definitely insecure. It wasn't very often that she showed that to anyone other than Peyton and Haley.

"Hey," she said, stepping out of her bedroom with jeans and a black sweater on, and her hair left down and mostly dry, falling over her shoulders.

"Hey," Nathan said, as though he hadn't just spent all morning and early afternoon with her. "You look cute."

"Cute?" she asked incredulously, making Brooke laugh.

"What?" Nathan inquired cluelessly.

"Cute is what puppies are," Brooke informed him, making him roll his eyes dramatically.

"You women have so many rules," he complained.

The door opened and Chase walked through, smiling to the three people in front of him. He walked to Brooke and kissed her temple, and Nathan and Peyton exchanged a quick glance over the outwardly affectionate gesture.

"You look amazing," Chase said, making Peyton and Brooke laugh, and Nathan scowl. "What?"

"Nothing," Brooke said, trying to keep her composure. She turned her attention back to Peyton, who was smiling sweetly at Nathan in an attempt to make him feel better. "So what are you kids doing, exactly?"

"I don't really know," Peyton said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Just a walk. Maybe a bite to eat. Why don't you guys come?"

"Sounds good to me," Chase said when Brooke looked at him questioningly.

"Ooo, I love double dates!" Brooke squealed, hopping off her chair and running to her room, leaving everyone to laugh at her sudden burst of energy.

"Brooke, when have we ever been on a double date?" Peyton asked with a chuckle as Brooke emerged with a sweater on and her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Um, last year," Brooke said, pointing to Chase.

"Oh! Right!" Peyton said with a smile.

"That forgettable, huh?" Chase teased as they all made their way to the door.

"I'm OK with her forgetting," Nathan joked as they began walking down the driveway. Peyton just glared at him playfully, and he draped his arm around her shoulder.

"And we used to go out all the time," Peyton pointed out, making Brooke scoff.

"No, we didn't," Brooke insisted. "You two making out and leaving me alone with Tim does _not_ count as a double date."

"I guess you're right," Peyton said with a furrowed brow. "How come we never went on double dates!?"

"Because you were always going after the same guy," Chase chimed in with a smile.

And they all laughed, because they all knew it was at least partially true. But those days were over, and when Peyton watched on as Chase placed his hand on the small of Brooke's back as she walked into the little café they'd come upon, she wondered if maybe they were all happy. They were all growing up, and perhaps in unlikely relationships, but they were happy.

Nathan noticed the look on Peyton's face as he held the door open for her, so when she walked through, he placed a little kiss to her temple and made her smile up at him. He knew exactly what she was thinking. It all tied in to what he'd said to her the week before. Everything was going well.

The only thing that bothered him, was that Peyton had nothing packed. Not a single box. He knew there was no rush on her moving in, but he wanted her there with him, and he was sure she wanted to be there. But with everything that had happened in the few days prior, it was understandable that nothing had happened to propel the move forward.

But he knew she was going to be out of town the next day with Haley, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

**----**

**A/N:** I know this was another kind of slower chapter, but I wanted to have the Nathan/Brooke conversation in there, and I kind of just love Meet Joe Black. And really, if Nathan wanted to nurse you through your hangover, you'd let him. Admit it.


	19. Chapter 19

Peyton spent the rest of the evening at Nathan's place, where they mostly slept and lazed around, watching television and making a simple dinner together.

She'd had a long conversation with Haley, setting up their agenda for the next day, and Nathan sat, not very patiently waiting for her to get off the phone. She was wearing a pair of sweat pants and and one of his zip-up sweaters, of course with nothing underneath, pacing in his bedroom and fiddling with the zipper in a way that he knew she was doing on purpose, just to tease him.

She finally hung up, and he smiled at her thankfully, hoping that she'd come back to bed so they could watch mindless television before going to sleep - or whatever else it was that they got up to doing. But she hurried out of the room, and when he called after her, she didn't answer.

She returned minutes later with a bowl of ice cream and a smile on her face as he shook his head at her.

"What?" she asked, climbing into bed next to him.

"It amazes me that you're so damn skinny," he teased, laughing at her as she spooned some ice cream into her mouth.

"You know, most girls would be pissed at you for saying something like that," she warned.

"Well, you're not most girls," he stated, making her roll her eyes.

"Want some?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"Are we talking about ice cream?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"Maybe?" she tempted him, making him let out a noise from low in his throat.

She gave him a spoonful of ice cream, and then a kiss, and he channel surfed while she finished her snack.

"Nathan, when am I gonna move in?" she asked worriedly after they'd turned out the light and were laying and, supposedly, trying to get to sleep.

"Whenever you want," he said obviously.

"No, I mean, I was going to do some of that this weekend, but those plans changed. And this week is probably going to be busy for both of us, and this weekend, you have Jamie," she rambled on, making him turn on the light so he could look at her as he tried to calm her.

It was then that he knew for sure that he didn't want to wait until the weekend for her to officially be moved in. It was a silly technicality, since he knew she'd probably be there almost every night anyway, but he didn't care. She was obviously freaking out about it, too.

"First of all, your week better not be busy," he warned sternly, and she shook her head. "Peyton, I'm serious. You need to relax."

"I know." She would have loved to argue, but she really couldn't.

"OK, well Jamie and I can help you," he said with a shrug. "I want you here as soon as possible."

"This weekend, then," she said with a smile, her mind already put at ease.

"This weekend," he confirmed, leaning over to kiss her before turning out the light again.

She tossed and turned for a few moments, like she did every night, trying to get comfortable, and he lay in the dark with a smirk on his face, knowing that not only had she forgotten to probe him about what her surprise was, but that he could now add to it.

----

Peyton left early the next morning, since she and Haley had decided to make a day of their outing. Haley had taken the full day off work, and the artist they were seeing didn't play until 4:00, so Haley was picking Peyton up, and they were planning on shopping and having lunch together.

"Can you please not talk about me today?" Nathan pleaded, his tone semi-joking.

"What?" she laughed as she straightened out her shirt in front of the mirror, looking at herself one last time.

"It just freaks me out to think about what you two talk about when you're together," he said, shrugging his shoulders and trying to downplay the seriousness of his comment.

"Nathan," she admonished, "Haley and I don't talk about you any differently than we did before. Now it's just...flipped around."

"I'm serious."

"So am I!" she said, moving to sit next to him on the bed, like she did almost every morning. "You want to know what we say about you?"

"I'm not so sure," he laughed.

"We talk about what a good father you are, and how dedicated you are to the things you believe in, and how good you are in bed, and..." she said, making him laugh again.

"OK, enough, Miss Sarcastic," he said, as they both moved to stand from the bed.

"We don't talk about you in any way that should worry you," she promised.

"Good."

"Alright, I have to go," she announced, just in time for him to place his hands on her hips and pull her against him. "Nathan..."

"I'm saying goodbye," he said with a shrug.

He leaned down and kissed her in a way that left them both breathless, and him tasting the raspberry of her lip gloss.

"Mmm," she murmured after they'd parted. "Best goodbye ever."

"I thought so," he said softly. "I love you."

"Love you, too," she said before slipping out the door. "I'll call you later!"

He laughed again after he left, because he loved mornings with her. She was extra cute before her first cup of coffee, and he loved to watch her get ready for her day. He didn't think he'd ever get sick of watching her look through the few shirts she had hanging in his closet, trying to decide which one to put on.

After he'd had a quick shower and gotten dressed, he called the one person he knew would help him.

"Hey, boy toy," she answered, smiling when she saw his name on her call display. And yes, his number was saved as 'Boy Toy' in her phone.

"Hey, Brooke," he said.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Well listen, Peyton's in Charlotte for the day with Haley, and..."

"I think it's hilarious that your girlfriend and your ex-wife are so close and it's somehow _not_ the weirdest thing in the world," Brooke pointed out. He could almost picture those dimples as she smirked at her own comment.

"It's a little...unorthodox," he admitted.

"_And_ you just used the word unorthodox," she teased, though they both knew that the Nathan Scott they used to know wouldn't have used such a word.

"Brooke, you're starting to make me regret calling you," he warned jokingly.

"Sorry," she laughed. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, since she's not getting back until this evening, I thought maybe you could help me with her things," he said, hoping to God she'd say yes.

"Wait, you want me to help you lug countless boxes of records and...whatever the hell else that girl owns, so you can win Boyfriend of the Year?" she asked incredulously.

"Um...yes?"

"You're lucky I love you guys," she said with a laugh. "Fine. Bring boxes, and I'll help."

"You're the best, Brooke," he said sincerely. "I'll be over in like, a half hour."

"I'm calling Chase," she informed him. "I'm not lifting anything heavy."

"The more hands, the better," he said, shrugging though she couldn't see him. "I thought of calling Luke, but I know he has a meeting today with the A.D."

"And that'd be weird," she added, making him laugh a little. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye, Brooke."

----

"Can I ask you a question?" Peyton asked as they were driving, about halfway between Tree Hill and Charlotte.

"Sure," Haley answered happily. They'd taken her SUV instead of Peyton's car, with Haley insisting Peyton needed to relax. She knew that Nathan would have talked to Haley, and she would have been mad at him for that, but how could she, when he was so obviously just worried about her?

"And this is friend to friend, not...girlfriend to ex-wife," she specified, making them both laugh. "Do you think things with Nathan and I are moving too quickly?"

"Honestly? I would have thought that if I didn't know you both so well and hadn't seen the way you two are together," Haley said seriously. "Peyton, you and Nathan are the same, in that you just don't care about rules. You just need to do what you both want to do and not worry about the rest, and the way other people think it's supposed to be."

"That's kind of what I think, too," Peyton said softly.

"But?" Haley inquired.

"But, when Lucas heard that we were moving in together, he seemed really surprised. And he's said some things about the way Nathan and I started, and I'm just..."

"Peyton, don't you dare let Lucas Scott make you doubt things," Haley insisted seriously. "That boy has his own issues to deal with."

Peyton wasn't really sure what that last part meant, but she heard the first part loud and clear. And Haley was right, and not only about Lucas. She needed to trust herself, and Nathan, and their relationship, and stop worrying about 'protocol' and the way things were normally done for other couples. Nathan and Peyton weren't another couple, and as he'd pointed out, they weren't normal. And that's what she loved about them.

"Thanks, Haley," Peyton said sincerely.

"No problem. Just don't ask me again," Haley warned with a laugh. "Seriously, this is like, the third time you've brought up how fast things are going, and my answer isn't going to change!"

"OK, the first part of that totally scared me," Peyton laughed. Haley just chuckled, happy to have helped set her friend's mind at ease. "Now what about you? Are you gonna go out with that Ryan guy again?"

"Oh Lord no," Haley laughed. "He was awful, Peyton!"

"Sorry!" Peyton said, laughing. "Didn't Brooke set you two up?"

"Yeah. Seriously, I need to remind her that I don't need to date every available man in Tree Hill. You know? Just because they're single, doesn't mean they're the one for me."

"I've been there," Peyton explained. "If she tries to set you up with Braeden, don't let her."

"Noted," Haley said with a laugh. "I know she means well, but I kind of think I just need to let it happen."

"Totally," Peyton agreed with a nod. "You've gotta let it come to you."

"Maybe I should go to Linden's," Haley said with a cheeky grin and a raised eyebrow.

"Brooke told you!?" Peyton exclaimed, making her friend laugh. "We didn't necessarily want you to know that part."

"I think it's hilarious," Haley said seriously. "Come on, Peyton. That is funny. I don't think I've ever met a couple, like, a proper couple, who met in a bar."

"Nathan and I didn't _meet_ in a bar!" Peyton clarified. "We just...re-met at a bar."

"Yeah," Haley scoffed, making both of them laugh.

And what Peyton was thankful for, most of all, out of everything, was that she and Haley could still hang out one on one with no tension or awkwardness. It, for all intents and purposes, should have been there, but it wasn't.

Though Nathan had asked her not to talk about him, she was so happy with their relationship, that she knew that she'd drop his name whenever she could. It was just the 'girlfriend' thing to do. She'd never met a girl who didn't do the same thing.

----

Nathan, Brooke, and Chase spent a few hours packing up Peyton's things, all surprised that it didn't take them longer. Brooke insisted on taking care of the clothes, while Nathan and Chase packed up records and 'personal effects'. Nathan knew that those records were more personal than anything else his girlfriend owned.

It didn't take them long, surprisingly, since Brooke insisted on inspecting and sometimes trying on all her favourite articles of her best friend's clothing, actually stopping to write down the items she wanted to borrow at a later date. Nathan scolded Chase and made sure that all the albums went in the boxes in the correct order, careful to write on the boxes which section they contained. They all knew that if anything was put in the wrong place, Nathan's surprise would definitely not be appreciated.

They loaded boxes into all three of their vehicles, drove the short distance to Nathan's house, and started unpacking. Brooke, again, started on the clothing, impressed that Nathan had cleared out drawers and closet space for his girlfriend's things. She made a comment on how thoughtful he was being, and she'd tried to make it sound like a joke, but they were all aware that she was at least a little serious.

"So, you and Brooke, huh?" Nathan asked Chase after they'd carried another load of boxes into the house. They'd both decided it was time for a break, and moved to the kitchen.

Nathan hadn't had a chance to talk to Chase alone, and he'd always considered Brooke as a sister...or at least a cousin or something. Definitely more than merely a friend, either way. After his conversation with Brooke the day before, he kind of wanted to see how Chase felt about their growing relationship. And, he would admit, Peyton had been asking him if he had talked to Chase, though she already knew that he hadn't, and he knew that she'd appreciate him finding out a little information.

He wasn't sure when he became that guy - the guy who did anything and everything to put a smile on his girl's face - but he didn't care. That smile was worth it every time.

"Yeah," Chase said with a smile. "It's good."

"Seems like it," Nathan pointed out as he nodded. He tossed Chase a bottle of water from the fridge and lifted himself up onto the counter.

"It's kind of like we were always a decent match, we just needed the time to grow into it, you know?" Chase said as he sat down at the table.

"Trust me, man, I know," Nathan said, laughing, because Chase had just described his relationship with Peyton to the letter. "How's Owen taking it?"

"Well, Owen just moved back home to Wisconsin," Chase explained.

"Really? Wow," Nathan said, surprise evident in his tone.

"Yeah, he's not exactly great at dealing with breakups and stuff. So who knows when we'll actually see him again," Chase said.

"You've gotta tell him," Nathan insisted adamantly, deducing from the other man's statement that he might just not mention certain things to Owen. "Seriously, you can't keep it secret."

"Um...didn't you and Peyton sneak around for like, a month and a half?" Chase asked with a smirk, making Nathan laugh again. "I'm going to tell him. I just don't really know how. I mean, he was really crazy about her."

"Try having to tell your ex-wife that you're in love with one of her best friends," Nathan said with a raised brow. "Or telling your brother that the woman he once proposed to is moving in with you."

"OK, you're right," Chase conceded as he laughed. "Wait, Luke proposed to Peyton?"

"Dude, it's a long story," Nathan said, shaking his head.

"Girls!" Brooke shouted as she stepped into the kitchen. Chase and Nathan shared a look of complete terror as they saw her place her hands on her hips. "Break time's over. What are you talking about that's so damn important!?"

"You, actually," Chase said, standing up and kissing her temple.

"Oh," she said softly. "Well, that's pretty important, isn't it? But if you want to get all this stuff unpacked before Peyton gets home, we've gotta move."

"And of course, what you mean by that is, _we've_ gotta move," Nathan said, gesturing between himself and Chase with his hand.

"Nathan, you _could_ be doing this alone," Brooke warned with a raised brow and a deadly serious expression.

"I know," he said sincerely. "And I really do thank you both for helping."

"She just better appreciate this," Brooke said seriously. "I mean, I'm sure she will."

"She will," Nathan assured her with a smile.

"Oh my God, you are so freaking in love with her," Brooke said, shaking her head as she turned and left the room. Chase and Nathan were left behind, both laughing before they went back to work.

And Nathan couldn't argue with that statement.

----

Peyton had called Nathan before she left Charlotte, excited about the artist they'd seen and the meeting she'd set up with the guy's manager. She let him know when she'd be home, and so he made sure that he had a few things in place for when she walked through the door.

He put a bouquet of flowers - lilies, her favourite - on the table in his foyer, finally acknowledging her suggestion that he should have more flowers in his house. Now that it was her house, too, he wanted to add little touches that she'd appreciate, and let people know that there was a woman living there, too.

He hung her 'Friends With Benefit' framed album artwork on the wall across from the desk in the room that was now her office, along with arranging a few candles in her favourite scents in the room for her, knowing she liked to 'set the tone' when she was working or listening to music.

He had a bottle of her favourite wine chilling in the fridge, and already entered all her favourite shows into his Tivo. They were all little things, but he knew she'd like that he went to the effort to do them for her. And all he wanted was to make her happy.

He locked the front door on purpose, so she'd have to use her key. That move was more for him than it was for her, but he wanted to hear the jingle of keys and the click of the lock as she let herself into what was officially _their_ house.

And when he heard that sound, he stood from the sofa in his living room, walking to the doorway that led to the foyer so he could see her reaction to the lilies.

"Nathan," she said, tilting her head to the side before smelling the bouquet. "You got flowers."

"I got _you_ flowers," he corrected, smiling at her as she set down her bag and kicked off her shoes. "So you had a good day?"

"I had an amazing day," she told him, walking to him and leaning up to kiss him quickly. "I was going to stop at home first for some clothes, but Brooke called me and said that Chase was there and I might want to stay away."

He watched as she grimaced at the thought of what she might have walked in on had she not heeded her best friend's advice, and he made a mental note to thank Brooke for her quick thinking later. He knew that Brooke and Chase were going out to dinner that evening, and that she'd just out and lied to Peyton. That was the one thing he hadn't thought to do; ensure that Peyton go straight to his house.

"Hey!" she said, pulling away from him. "I forgot about the surprise from the other day! Show me right now."

"Wow, you're demanding," he teased. "And it's not the same surprise now."

"What?!" she exclaimed. "Was there like, a time limit on it?"

"No!" he laughed. "The surprise just got bigger."

"Nathan Scott, tell me right now!" She put her hand on her hip, and he knew she couldn't wait any longer. And he didn't want to, either.

"Come on," he said softly, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.

He held her hand until they reached the door at the end of the hall, and he smiled at the confused look on her face. She knew what that room was, and what it was going to be, and he could tell she was dying, trying to figure out what he'd done.

He pushed open the door, and watched as her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide.

There was a desk in the room, near the wall so she could look out at the ocean, and keep her eye on the door - he knew she hated having her back to a door. He'd put her computer on the desk, and set up a few of the photos she had framed around the room.

She noticed all that, but the huge floor to ceiling shelves caught her attention, and she looked back at him and smiled widely, making him smirk proudly.

"I can't _believe_ you," she said softly. She walked over and started looking through the familiar collection of vinyl, and he heard her gasp a little. "You didn't even screw up my catalogue system!"

"Surprised?" he laughed. "I was pretty vigilant, actually."

"Thank you so much," she said, walking back to him and wrapping her arms around him. "This is perfect."

"You can change things around if you want," he told her, but she shook her head.

"No, it's exactly what I had in mind," she said, kissing him again.

"OK, come on," he said, tugging her hand toward the door.

"There's more?" she asked in shock.

"Of course, there is," he said, walking toward their bedroom.

He pulled open the closet, perfectly organized, thanks to Brooke, who not only hung Peyton's things, but colour categorized Nathan's clothes as well. Peyton's shoes were all lined up in the appropriate places, and her accessories were in the drawers that Nathan had left empty. His walk-in closet was no longer only holding mens' clothes. He'd never really felt like more of a couple with Peyton, than he was seeing her things all in the same space as his.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "You moved _all_ my things!?"

"I did," he confirmed. "With Brooke and Chase's help."

"I cannot believe you," she repeated, shaking her head as she turned back to him.

"I just want you here," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I didn't really want to have to wait until this weekend."

"I love you," she said as she flung her arms around his neck, making him laugh. "The only thing not here is my car."

"Oh, it's here, too," he informed her. "You think I'd leave anything at Brooke's place?"

"You are amazing," she murmured as she buried her face in his neck. "Seriously, Nathan, thank you so much for doing this."

"It's officially our house now," he said with a smile when she pulled away from him.

"Wow," she whispered, looking around the room. He'd actually put up a few of her photos in their room, too. One of her, Brooke and Jamie, and another of her and her dad, were sitting atop the dresser. "Thank you."

"Stop thanking me," he said, laughing as she glanced around once more.

"You know what this means, right?" she asked, with that twinkle in her eye that she always got when she intended to seduce him. It didn't take much more than that one look to accomplish the task.

"We better make it official," he said, wrapping his arms around her and walking her backward to the bed.

"I was gonna say it means we're growing up," she said with a laugh as he began kissing her neck and unbuttoning her shirt.

"No you weren't," he muttered, pulling away from her and tugging his own shirt over his head.

And she really couldn't tell him otherwise. Even if she'd wanted to, his mouth covered hers and she pretty much forgot what they were talking about anyway.


	20. Chapter 20

Later that week, Nathan and Lucas were in the gym at the school, talking and leisurely shooting around after their afternoon practice with the team. Nathan had subbed in for one of the injured players, and Lucas was telling him a couple things he needed to work on, offering both praise and constructive criticism. The combine was in three short weeks, and he knew he still had work to do. But that wasn't the only thing bugging him.

"So Jamie said something interesting the other day," Nathan said seriously after a while.

"Oh yeah?" Lucas asked. "What's that?"

"He asked me if you're moving away," Nathan said, catching Lucas' rebound and freezing the ball to his hip. There was a look of surprise on his brother's face. "He said he heard you talking to Haley."

"Oh," Lucas said, closing his eyes as the pieces fell into place. "Lindsey just...brought it up. It kind of sparked a huge argument, and I went to Haley for advice."

"Lindsey wants to move?" Nathan asked.

He wasn't sure why that was so shocking to him, since Lindsey was from New York and had changed her life completely to be with Lucas. But he was under the impression that she loved Tree Hill as much as the rest of them did.

"She misses New York, and her dad's place was left to her when he passed away," Lucas said with a shrug of his shoulders before resting his hands on his hips. "But my job and my family are here. She can work from anywhere. The thing is, we talked about this so much before she even moved in with me. It's like, why all of a sudden is she bringing it up again?"

"So what are you gonna do?" Nathan asked seriously.

"Nothing," Lucas insisted. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Is she OK with that?"

"I think she's...less than thrilled that I won't even entertain the idea," Lucas admitted. "It just kind of bugs me that this came out of nowhere. I honestly don't know why she'd want to leave after all this time, when we've already started building a life here."

"Your problem here, is that you're trying to understand why women do the things they do," Nathan said with a smirk. "It's best not to even try."

"Seriously," Lucas laughed.

"So you're not going anywhere?" Nathan asked, just needing confirmation once more.

"No," Lucas insisted adamantly. "I'm not moving. And I'm sorry Jamie had to overhear that."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Nathan said, tossing the ball towards the net, smiling when it dropped through the mesh. "That kid is more understanding than anyone I know. Maybe other than Haley."

"She's a champ, huh?" Lucas asked, catching Nathan's rebound. "It doesn't surprise me that she's been so great about everything, it's just...a reminder, you know?"

"Exactly," Nathan agreed. "I'm a lucky guy. Amazing girlfriend, perfect son, understanding ex-wife."

"Kick ass brother," Lucas added with a smirk.

"And if I can get my game back, I might actually have a shot at making a team somewhere," Nathan said, moving to sit on the bleachers.

"Dude, you're already better than you were in high school. You're almost there," Lucas assured him.

"Yeah, I just need to get from 'almost there' to 'there' in three weeks," Nathan said seriously. "You and Skills have been awesome though, helping me out."

"It's not just your dream, Nate," Lucas said with a shrug. "We want to see you make it, too."

"Yeah," Nathan nodded. "I just hope it's enough."

"It will be," Lucas assured him, clapping a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "Look, I have to run. I have a meeting with Miss James regarding one of my players who's having trouble in her class."

"Uh oh," Nathan said with a smirk. "I hear she's a tyrant."

"The worst," Lucas laughed. "I'll see you later."

"See you."

Nathan gathered his things and walked out of the gym and across the quad to the parking lot. He knew he needed a little more help with his game, and he knew there was one person who had offered who he'd rejected. He wasn't sure he really wanted to go there, but he wondered if it might have been the best help he could get.

He dwelled on it all the way home, going through the pros and cons in his head, knowing that it wasn't going to be an easy decision to make.

"Hey," he said, stepping through the door and dropping his bag in the foyer.

He saw Peyton sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table with her laptop in front of her. The first time he'd seen her do it, he reminded her that she had her own office, but she explained that sometimes she just needed a change of scenery. What she didn't say was that she kind of just liked it when he walked through the door to come home to her.

"Hey," she echoed.

"Are you watching college basketball?" he asked with a shocked look on his face, though he was still smiling. The question was unnecessary, since it was clear that she was, but he was pretty surprised that she'd watch a game without his influence.

"Oh, yeah," she said absently. "Illinois vs. Indiana."

"I love you," he said as he shook his head, moving to sit on the couch behind her with his knees on either side of her.

"Well, I love you, too," she said with a laugh.

"Wow, Indiana is losing, big time," he pointed out.

"Yeah, they've been sucking since tip-off. Their D is sloppy and they have no rhythm. Their point guard is like, non-existent," she said, turning her eyes back to her computer screen.

"That's the sexiest thing I've ever heard you say," he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. He began rubbing her shoulders, smiling proudly when her head lolled to one side and she let out a little sound.

"I don't know why it's so surprising that I'd watch a game," she said, simultaneously typing something or another. "You've just reminded me how much I love basketball."

"OK stop," he said seriously. Certainly with her talking like that, the game and whatever she was typing would be abandoned quickly.

"What?" she asked with a laugh. She tipped her head back so she could look at him, and his skilled hands on her shoulders, she suspected, were having the same effect on her as her words were having on him.

"What are you working on?" he asked, blatantly changing the subject as he tried to peer at the screen.

"I'm just writing up a job posting for my new assistant," she said with a smile, knowing he'd been begging her to finally start the hiring process.

"It's about time," he muttered, making her let out a laugh. "Hey, can I ask your opinion on something?"

"Of course, you can," she said, still typing.

"It's about Dan," he clarified, making her stop what she was doing and move to sit next to him.

"This needs my full attention," she said seriously when he looked at her questioningly.

"I've just been wondering...I mean, you know how he offered to help me?" he started, watching as she nodded. "I only have three weeks, and I have a lot to work on. Lucas and Skills have helped me a lot, but I can't deny that Dan was the one who was always pushing me the hardest."

"Honey, I don't think anyone would debate that," she said, unable to really hide her feelings for the man.

"So I'm just thinking, you know? Maybe I should let him help me," he said quietly.

"Wow," she whispered as she digested that statement and how much it meant.

"What are you thinking?" he asked after a couple moments of complete silence.

"I'm thinking that you know what you need more than anyone else," she said objectively. "And if you need Dan, you should talk to him. And maybe you _want_ him to help you a little bit." She looked at him pointedly, and he could only shake his head at how well she knew him. "You wouldn't even be considering it if some part of you didn't want to spend time with him. As much as you want to hate him, he's still your father."

"I'm just worried about what Luke will say," he admitted seriously.

"Luke can say whatever he wants," she scoffed. "Nathan, if it was Lucas, he'd do whatever he needed to do to reach his goal."

"I guess," he said with a nod.

"If you want Dan's help, then you should talk to him," she repeated. "I'm not going to tell you not to do it."

"Will you come to the beach house with me to see him?" he asked timidly. "You don't have to be nice to him."

"Yeah, of course I'll come," she said, nodding gently. "What time is Jamie coming?"

It was Friday night, and Jamie was spending the entire next week at the house with them, as per Nathan and Haley's custody arrangement.

"Around 8:00. Haley wanted an extra couple hours," Nathan explained. "If we go now, we can be back in time."

"OK," she sighed. "Let's go, then."

He wasn't sure why her complete support surprised him. Maybe it was because he knew exactly how she (and almost everyone else in town) felt about Dan Scott. But she'd drop all that lingering hatred and animosity to support Nathan, and he loved her for that.

"If we walk, can I trust you not to run into the ocean?" he teased as she slipped on her shoes.

So they walked hand in hand, talking about their respective days. Nathan told her about the conversation he had with Lucas about the move, having mentioned to her what Jamie had said to him. He and Lucas hadn't had a chance to talk one on one since then, and he knew Peyton was curious to know the gossip. She told him about the criteria she'd come up with for her new assistant, and how she was hopeful that she could find the perfect person quickly.

As they walked up the steps to Dan's house, they were both quiet, seemingly both remembering all the time they'd spent there in the past, before everything. Nathan would 'borrow' the keys from his parents and the two of them would spend nights there together, just the two of them, without anyone else knowing.

"You ready?" she asked, her tone comforting.

"Sure," he laughed, though they both knew this wasn't an easy thing for him to do.

He reached out and rapped on the glass with his knuckles, then slipped his hand back into hers as they waited for someone to come to the door.

"Son," Dan said in surprise when he opened the door. "Hi."

"Hi," Nathan greeted tensely.

"Come on in," Dan offered, stepping aside to let them through. "Hi, Peyton."

"Hi, Dan," she said softly, still holding Nathan's hand. She wasn't sure if that was to comfort him, or to put her at ease. She suspected it was doing both.

"What brings you by?" Dan asked, almost hopeful, as they all sat in the living room. Nathan had only been to see him once since he got out of prison, and it was to tell him to stay away from his family. This seemed like a friendlier visit.

"I've got three weeks to get in game shape," Nathan started, gaining a sudden burst of confidence. "I'm close, but I'm not there yet." He tried to gauge Dan's reaction, and he saw a hint of a smile. "I was wondering if the offer for help still stands."

Dan cast a glance Peyton's way, smiling at her as a silent thank you for telling Nathan what she'd so adamantly said she wouldn't.

"Of course it does, son," Dan said with a nod. "I'd be happy to help."

"I have no left," Nathan started. "And I feel like I'm a step behind most of the time. I've kept up my conditioning, so I'm good there."

"Well if that's all you have to work on, you're definitely close," Dan insisted. "Why don't we meet at the River Court tomorrow morning?"

"I've got Jamie this weekend," Nathan said, shaking his head.

"I'll watch him," Peyton offered, looking to Nathan with a smile, knowing how much it meant to him to work. He was on a deadline, and the sooner he got himself in shape, the better he'd feel about himself.

"OK," he said, smiling back at her and placing his hand on her thigh. "Alright, tomorrow."

Nathan and Peyton moved to stand, but Dan stopped them.

"Why don't you stay for a bit," he offered. "I have all your old high school game tape here. We could watch a bit. Unless that'll bore Miss Sawyer."

They all laughed, for very different reasons. Peyton laughed because Dan still called her 'Miss Sawyer'. Nathan laughed, knowing that she would actually probably enjoy watching some basketball footage. Dan laughed because of the way his son and this young woman were looking at each other, seemingly having their own conversation without saying a word. He wondered if maybe his crazy ex-wife had been right all those years ago in her observations of the young couple.

So they stayed, and Dan put in the tape, and the three of them sat and watched the skinny, floppy haired boy run up and down the court, with Whitey shouting from the sidelines. Dan pointed out interesting plays that Nathan should take note of, and offered constructive criticism of a couple of his choices, and Nathan nodded or added his rebuttals when necessary.

"Look at you!" Nathan teased, pointing at the blonde cheerleader, bare midriff and pompoms rustling, when the camera panned to the end of the court.

"Oh, God," Peyton said, burying her face in her hands.

"Do you still have that uniform?" he asked with a cheeky smile, not caring that his father was snickering next to him.

"OK, perv, that's enough," she warned with a laugh.

"I'd heed that warning, Nathan," Dan said, smiling again at how happy these two kids seemed.

Nathan just laughed again and checked the time, seeing that it was almost time for Haley to drop Jamie off, and they had to get back to his house.

"We have to go," he announced, looking at Peyton who nodded and stood from her place.

"OK," Dan said as he walked them to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow. 7:00 work for you?"

"7:00 it is," Nathan confirmed. "See you then."

"Goodbye, Peyton," Dan said, smiling once again at the girl who was letting go of her anger to help his son, and in turn, help him. All he'd wanted was to rebuild some type of relationship with his son, and he knew she was helping him to do that.

"Bye, Dan," she said, genuinely smiling back at him before he closed the door behind them.

They walked home, chatting easily, with Peyton telling him how proud she was of him for overcoming his feelings enough to ask for help, and Nathan admitting that a part of him felt relieved to have made that step.

They spent their evening with Jamie, listening to his stories about his school day and the dinner he'd had with Haley and Brooke. He ended up staying up a bit past his bedtime, thanks, no doubt, to the ice cream his mother and Godmother would have spoiled him with for dessert.

They all actually went to bed at the same time. Nathan knew he had an early morning the next day, and Peyton was still catching up on sleep. She couldn't shake the feeling, when Nathan walked into their bedroom after tucking Jamie in, that this was becoming her family.

----

Nathan had left without waking Peyton the next morning, and she was thankful for that. When she woke up around 8:00, she looked outside and saw that it was a beautiful day. After running a quick shower and throwing on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, she made her way to the kitchen to make herself some coffee.

She was just thinking how odd it was that Jamie wasn't up yet, when he padded sleepily into the kitchen in his pajamas, rubbing his eye with his hand balled into a fist.

"Hey, Jamie," she greeted him, watching as he climbed up onto the seat next to her at the counter.

"Morning, Peyton. You're up before me today," he said, obviously surprised by that fact.

"I know. Weird, huh?" she said with a laugh. "Your dad had to go out for a bit, but you want me to make you some breakfast?"

She and Nathan had decided not to tell Jamie that he was going to the River Court or spending time with Dan, knowing that both those things would make the boy beg to do the same.

"Sure," he said happily. "You know how to make French toast?"

"I sure do," she said with a smile, moving to the fridge to get out what they needed. She poured him a glass of orange juice and set it in front of him before starting on their breakfast.

"What are we gonna do till daddy gets home?" he asked excitedly after a while.

"I dunno," she said with a shrug of her shoulders, flipping the bread in the pan before reaching for a couple plates. "What do you want to do?"

"Can we listen to some music?" he inquired.

"You want to listen to music?" she asked pointlessly, having heard him loud and clear.

"You have so much cool stuff," he said. "Daddy showed me the other night."

"Well I think that sounds good," she said with a smile. "After breakfast, we'll get you dressed, and I'll show you some of the best stuff I have."

"Cool!"

----

Nathan and Dan had been working for over an hour, talking about the technicalities of the game, with Dan asking more questions about what Nathan had and hadn't worked on. He was determined to help his son, no matter what.

Nathan had to admit, it was refreshing to work with someone who wasn't babying him. There were no lingering effects from his accident, and there was no risk of injuring himself again, but Lucas and Skills always seemed to be worried about pushing him too hard or working too long. He didn't need that.

He tried for the sixth time to dribble left around Dan, but the ball was swatted away from him and bounced to the edge of the court.

"Again," Dan instructed.

"No," Nathan said, shaking his head as he wiped his brow. "I can't."

"Yes. You can," Dan insisted harshly. "Again."

"I can't!" he shouted.

"Yes, you can!" Dan repeated in a raised voice, retrieving the ball and passing it back to Nathan. "Again."

And as pissed off as Nathan was at Dan's hard-headed nature in that moment, he knew that was exactly why he'd commissioned his help in the first place. Dan wouldn't let him cop out. Dan wouldn't let him give up or pack it in early or take a breather. Dan would make him do it until he got it right.

He let out a sigh and took his position again, spinning the ball in his hands before moving left again. Dan tried once more to knock the ball from Nathan's hands, but Nathan moved seemingly effortlessly around him and made his way to the net to dunk the ball.

"See!" Dan proclaimed happily. "That's it!"

"Yes!" Nathan shouted with a smile, happy with his own accomplishment.

Dan picked up the ball once more, tossing it back to Nathan, and they both knew what was coming, but Nathan grinned and sighed once it was said. He felt like he was 12 years old, playing in the driveway of his childhood home.

"Again."

Dan bent his knees in front of Nathan again, and they ran the same drill until he could do it 10 times in a row without having the ball stolen from him.

Nathan started to believe, after that one morning session, that he was really close to being where he needed to be. And as much as he kind of hated to admit it, he knew Dan was the only one who could get him there.

----

"What about this one?" Jamie asked, holding up a copy of Kanye West's _Graduation_.

They were standing in front of her wall of records, with the boy glancing through and trying to pick things to listen to. She'd already played a little Zeppelin, some Police, some Hendrix, a little bit of the Beatles, and a few other staples that she felt every kid should hear.

"Not that one," she laughed.

"How come? The cover is so cool!" he said innocently.

"Bad words," she said for what felt like the 20th time. She'd come to realize that a lot of her music had curse words in it and wasn't suitable for children.

"What about...this one?" he asked, pulling out an Otis Redding album.

"Ah, good choice," she said with an appreciative nod, taking the record from him and putting on a familiar old song.

Nathan appeared in the doorway halfway through Try a Little Tenderness, and he laughed at the sight of the two blondes in the room, both bobbing their heads to the music, and Jamie tapping out a rhythm on the arm of the chair he was in.

He remembered that song from that first night in the bar, when she'd been just a little drunk, and a lot sexy, as she belted out the lyrics animatedly and made him laugh. That was the moment he really felt that spark between them, when her arm draped around his shoulder as she sang, and her fingers feathered through the hair at the back of his neck. He wondered if she remembered that.

And then she noticed him there and smiled, sending him a wink she knew Jamie wouldn't be able to decode, and he knew she definitely remembered.

He said his hellos and then went for a quick shower, and the three of them spent the rest of the afternoon listening to music, with Nathan making harmless comments about her record collection and some of the interesting albums he hadn't expected her to have. He teased her for having a rare vinyl copy of _Voodoo_, and she'd blushed and told him it was new. She didn't tell him that she'd paid far too much for it, or that she'd had to order it from a store in Vancouver since that was the only place she could find it.

They went for a walk after dinner, strolling down the beach or chasing after each other, playing an absurd game with ridiculous rules that Jamie thought up.

It was comfortable and fun, and both Peyton and Nathan acknowledged that it was easy. There was no tension between any of them. Jamie fully accepted Peyton as his dad's girlfriend, and Peyton adored Jamie. Nathan had the two most important people in his life under his roof, and he couldn't have been happier.

Until that evening, when he was tucking Jamie in and Peyton was standing in the doorway. Nathan said his goodnight and kissed Jamie's forehead.

"I love you, son," he said, just like he did every night.

"Love you, too," Jamie murmured sleepily. "I love you, Peyton."

Nathan smiled and looked over at her where she stood. She placed her hand over her heart and walked to the bed, leaning down to kiss the boy's forehead.

"I love you, too, Jamie."

As soon as they were in the hall with the door tugged halfway closed, Peyton leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.

"You and your Scott boys," Nathan teased, placing his hands on her hips.

"I can't believe that," she whispered, still in awe.

"I can," he insisted quietly.

She closed her eyes again, and when she opened them, he saw a tear pooling there. He had to smile at that side of her; sentimental and overwhelmed. And his own heart had swelled when he heard his son say those words. This was his family.

"Peyton," he said softly, reaching up to cup her cheek with the hope of comforting her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, composing herself.

He kissed her gently and wrapped his arm around her as they headed down the stairs again. She poured herself a glass of wine, and he grabbed a glass of water, and they settled in on the sofa together, watching an old movie on some random station until it was time to go to bed.

It had only been a week, and he already couldn't imagine living in that house without her.


	21. Chapter 21

Their entire week went off without a hitch. Peyton didn't go to work. Instead, she chose to work from home and do only what she needed to do. She'd kept with the 'urgent' emails, and had compiled a list of potential employees she'd be interviewing.

She'd had lunch with Deb one day, and spent a day with Brooke. Chase had asked her for help for a surprise he had planned for Brooke, and she'd gladly given him a hand. She knew, when he was done, that Brooke would be smiling for days. She really couldn't say no to that. She'd hung out with Haley, listening to a few of the new songs she'd written and was thinking of recording. It had been a good week. Jamie left that Sunday, excited to tell Haley all about the time he'd spent with his dad.

Nathan and Dan worked almost every day, mostly in secret. When Lucas passed the River Court one morning and saw them, he'd been less than thrilled, but Nathan explained in no uncertain terms that it was his own choice to make, and that Dan was pushing him exactly the way he needed to be pushed. Lucas could understand that, even if he didn't agree with it.

The following Wednesday after returning to work, Peyton had set up interviews in the afternoon, really hoping that she'd be able to find someone quickly. She'd never had to conduct an interview before, but she'd been on enough of them to know what questions she should ask.

It was 4:00, and she'd had two horrible candidates, and one that was almost perfect. Almost. She wasn't sure she wanted to settle for almost.

And then Caleb walked in. Her last interview of the day, and the last of the first round of names she'd chosen. He was in just jeans and a plain black knit sweater, with a fairly stylish black jacket over top. He was 10 minutes early, which she was impressed with immediately.

"Peyton Sawyer?" he asked as he made his way toward her.

"That'd be me," she said with a smile. She stood and shook his hand, and wasted no time getting right to the point. Nathan was meeting her there to pick her up, since he'd dropped her off that morning, and she wanted to get everything wrapped up before he showed up.

She had to admit, the guy had all the right answers. He answered her questions exactly the way she would have. He seemed a little...eager, but eager was good, right? He made himself at home in her office, and at first she was a little put off by that, but then she realized that any employee she hired _should_ feel comfortable there.

Just out of curiosity, she asked him what his top five favourite albums were, which sparked a heated, but funny, debate over his choices.

Nathan walked into her office to see her sitting on the edge of her desk, laughing loudly and smiling, and a guy sitting across from her, staring just a little too hard for Nathan's liking.

"Hey," Nathan said, walking towards the desk.

And maybe he was walking and holding his posture in the way that he knew made him look a little bit intimidating. Call it jealousy, but she _was_ his girlfriend.

"Hey!" she said, smiling widely as Nathan perched himself on the edge of her desk next to her. He would have kissed her, but it would have been inappropriate, and he knew that.

"Who's this? Your bodyguard?" Caleb asked.

"Boyfriend, actually," Nathan corrected, doing his best to not appear visibly angry.

"Lucky guy," Caleb muttered, his eyes lingering on Peyton's body as hers were fixed on Nathan.

Nathan's eyes shifted to Peyton's suspiciously, but she was oblivious to how Caleb's statement sounded, or how the guy'd been staring.

"Nathan, this is Caleb, my last interview of the day," she explained.

"Nice to meet you," Caleb said, extending his hand, which Nathan shook, maybe just a little harder than he normally would.

"Well, I think I covered everything I needed to," Peyton announced, breaking the moment. She could see, immediately, that Nathan was acting strangely, and she had a pretty good idea why.

"Right on," Caleb said, standing from his chair. "You have all my info, so call me if you need anything. It was great talking to you."

"You too," she said, watching as he casually strolled out of the office.

Once he was out the door, she moved around, gathering her things and pulling on her jacket to leave.

"How was your day?" she asked Nathan as they were walking toward the door.

"Good. Just worked out with my dad, helped with Luke's practice," he said not adding any detail like he normally would.

She didn't really say much in response, knowing that when they were home and behind closed doors, they'd probably have a conversation about whatever it was that was bugging him. She just switched off the lights and locked the door, and they headed for his car.

The entire drive home was silent. She could tell he was dying to say something, but she suspected that he knew as well as she did that whatever it was he was going to say wouldn't leave her pleased. She didn't know if he was just biting his tongue to avoid a conflict, or if he was just waiting until they got home.

It was the latter.

She'd just stepped into the house and dropped her things, with him following behind her, when he made the comment.

"So Caleb seemed to be pretty interested."

She had a feeling he wasn't talking about the job, but she wasn't about to feed into whatever ridiculous scenario he'd built up in his mind.

"Yeah, he's really into music. Worked in L.A. for four years. Knowledgeable," she said nonchalantly as she made her way to the living room.

"Not what I meant, but OK," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Nathan, please," she pleaded, turning back to face him. She knew what he was getting at.

"I just think he was staring at your legs a little long for someone who was just interested in a 'job'," he said, using air quotes because...well, he felt like it.

"Whatever," she mumbled. "So you don't like him after meeting him for 5 minutes."

"Just not the kind of person I thought you'd hire," he said, shrugging his shoulders to try to downplay what he was feeling.

"You mean because he's a guy," she pointed out incredulously, putting her hands on her hips as she 10 feet away from him.

And he managed to do what he really wanted to avoid. He'd pissed her off.

"No, I mean because he's a guy who stares at you and makes comments that aren't exactly businesslike," he countered.

"Are you seriously jealous right now?" she asked in a raised voice.

"I'm not jealous! I'm worried!" he said, his tone matching hers. "You don't know this guy at all, Peyton."

"So I can only have women work for me because my boyfriend doesn't trust me around other men?" she asked angrily.

As soon as she'd said it, she knew that wasn't the case and that she was just saying whatever came to mind. But she was definitely pissed at him for not understanding that she was just hiring someone who she thought was best for the job. Female or male, it didn't matter to her.

"I trust _you_," he insisted. "I _don't_ trust this guy."

"Why?"

"Because he's weird! He's this sleazy L.A. music industry guy, and I don't like him!" he said simply, as though she should have already known the answer.

"First of all, not everyone in the music industry is sleazy," she sneered, narrowing her eyes to show him just how pissed off she was.

"Oh my God, I didn't _say_ that," he countered. "But this guy? This guy is a total ass. He's like...he's like the second coming of Chris Keller, but _more_ of a dick!"

"He's the best person for the job," she said, disregarding his former statement, though he could see that she understood it, at least a little bit. "And I don't really understand how you could have come to that conclusion just from shaking his hand. Just because you feel threatened by Chris Keller, doesn't mean..."

"Whoa, whoa," he said, interrupting her and holding up one hand to stop her speaking. "I am not _threatened_ by Chris fucking Keller. And when did this conversation even become about him?"

"You brought him up!" she cried. She ran her hands over her face and heaved a sigh. "You know what? This is ridiculous. You're just being territorial and possessive and jealous and I can't deal with this right now."

"No, I'm not being any of those things," he insisted adamantly. "I'm being worried and protective, and that's just what I do. I don't understand why you _still_ don't get that."

"Nathan..."

"Peyton, I'm not going to let you do this," he said, locking eyes with her to let her know that he was completely serious.

She reared her head back and raised an eyebrow, laughing bitterly.

"_Let_ me do this?" she asked. "I wasn't aware that you were making my choices _for_ me."

"I am when you're about to make the wrong one!" he insisted. "You're damn right I am."

"And how is that not possessive?" she inquired, throwing her hands in the air.

He was frustrated because she still just didn't understand. It wasn't a matter of him trusting her or him being jealous. OK, maybe he was a little bit jealous. But it was mostly about him not wanting her in the same space as a guy who so obviously had less-than-pure thoughts about her. And maybe he'd only met the guy briefly, but he saw those looks, and heard that comment, and he knew how guys thought. And Caleb was definitely thinking about her in ways that he shouldn't have been. That he'd had the guts to do it in front of Nathan, just proved that he wasn't the kind of guy Nathan wanted Peyton spending time with.

"How can you not see my side of this?"

"Because I'm a grown woman!" she cried. "And this is my job and my business and my life. And you know what? This commanding territorial shit might have worked when I was 16 and didn't know any better, but it's not going to work now."

"Can I just point out that you freaked out over another girl even having my home phone number? And that was before you even saw her or knew what she was like," he pointed out.

"That is _so_ not even the same situation!"

"Right, because you were just not trusting _me_," he said angrily. "And this is about me wanting to make sure you're safe. Yeah, I see how I'm the jerk here."

"Ugh!" she groaned in frustration. "You are so fucking infuriating!"

It was a blanket observation that may have been partially true, but certainly didn't need to be voiced, and the hurt and anger it put in his eyes made her regret it immediately.

She used to say things like that - worse than that - all the time when they were together. She'd say hateful things to him because they were the only things that made him show any emotion at all, and she needed the reminder that Nathan, _her Nathan_, was still in there. The sweet boy he could be when no one else was around. When the arrogant jock would piss her off, she'd spew horrible things at him so she'd see that flash of vulnerability. Those moments were what made her stay with him. They would restore her faith that he wasn't always going to be that spoiled kid that always expected to get his way.

"I'm not giving an inch on this one," he told her, crossing his arms on his chest to prove his point.

"Well then I guess we're at a standstill, because I'm not going to let you push me around like this," she said quietly. "So we're done here."

She walked past him and headed for the stairs, and his heart was breaking. What did she mean by that? Did she mean they were done for good? Did she mean that she needed time to cool off and then they'd have a rational conversation about things? He couldn't believe she'd said those words, no matter what connotation she'd intended. He was thinking the worst, and so he knew he had to follow her, no matter how angry that'd make her.

He walked up the stairs to their bedroom, and took a deep breath as he stood outside the door.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he watched her folding a couple shirts and dropping them into an overnight bag.

"I'm going to Brooke's," she said stoically, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Don't be stupid," he said, defeated.

"So now I'm stupid?" she asked with a raised brow, placing one hand on her hip.

He could only sigh, because he just kept on saying all the wrong things, and she kept taking everything the wrong way. He'd never been one with words, not really. He used them to fix his screw ups, but he'd never quite perfected the pre-emptive speech. He'd never been able to say the right things to avoid a fight. It seemed now, that he was completely out of cute turns of phrase.

"Don't go," he pleaded, pouting just enough that he hoped it would break her resolve.

"Honestly, Nathan, I don't think there's anything more to say right now," she told him bitterly. She walked past him and out into the hallway, and he would have stopped her, but he knew that if he touched her at that moment, she'd get even angrier.

"Can you please just _wait_?" he asked urgently, still with his back to her and standing in the doorway of the room she'd just exited. He had no idea what he was going to say, but he couldn't just let her leave.

"Why?" she shouted from the top of the stairs, finally making him turn to her. There was at least 20 feet of space between them, and they both hated it, but they were each too stubborn to move.

"Because I don't want you to go!" he yelled. It was a simple statement, but it was still somehow everything he was feeling. He hoped she'd realize that.

"Nathan, you can't just say something like that and expect everything to be OK again," she said, shaking her head.

"I don't expect it to be OK," he said quietly, moving towards her so he was close enough to touch her if he wanted to. Or if he felt like she wanted him to. "I just don't want you to go."

"Nathan..."

"How are we supposed to argue if you're at Brooke's house?" he asked with a smirk. He saw her roll her eyes and try to hide a smile.

"I don't want to argue at all," she insisted, locking eyes with him. "And don't try your stupid grin on me right now, because it's not going to work."

"Oh yes it is," he said, taking another step towards her.

"Stop it," she almost whined.

He smiled at her and then hung his head, and he wondered if maybe this stand off was over. He knew there was more to say, but he didn't want there to be any more yelling. He didn't want her to leave, he didn't want her to be mad at him, and he definitely wanted her to see his point.

"I'm not going to wait until you need saving, Peyton. I'm not going to be Lucas for you," he said with a quiet insistence in his tone.

He'd read the book. He knew all about that sentiment that she shared with his brother once upon a time.

"I'm not asking you to be," she told him. She took a step closer to him and took his hands in hers. "I'm just asking you to be Nathan Scott. The boy who wouldn't take no for an answer the first time he asked me on a date when we were 15. The confident basketball player who comes home from practice and kisses me and tells me he missed me. The most perfect balance of sexy and so, _so_ sweet."

"You're making me sound like a girl," he mumbled, but a smirk broke on his lips.

"No," she insisted adamantly. "I'm making you sound like _you_."

"Well, then you should know that I'm not going to let you do something that I don't think is a good idea," he said, averting her gaze. "I'm not the guy who's gonna step aside and let you make a choice I know is wrong. That's just...It's not in me to do that."

"So I should hire someone who's second best because you don't trust this guy?" she asked.

"Exactly," he said seriously with a furrowed brow, wondering how she couldn't see that that was the best and most logic option.

She let out a sigh and looked to the ceiling, wondering if maybe she just needed to trust him on this. His instincts had generally been pretty good, and he was a decent judge of character. After all, it was the two of them who had hated Chris Keller before anyone else did...

"Fine," she said quietly.

And in that one word, he knew that she saw it his way. Or, even if she didn't, she was at least compromising to put his mind at ease. He still thought he was right, and though he was sure she hadn't wanted to give in, he could see that she at least understood his position a little bit.

She looked up at him and saw that grin of accomplishment on his face. It was the same grin he got any time he got his way. She had a love/hate relationship with that particular expression.

"Now, can you put the bag down?" he asked.

"Yeah. I guess I'm not going anywhere," she said, locking eyes with him so he would recognize the double meaning.

"No, it's not that," he said with a grin. "I just don't want it to be in the way when I throw you down on that bed."

"Nathan!" she squealed as he pulled her against him.

"Don't pretend it doesn't turn you on," he growled, slipping the strap of the bag off her shoulder and dropping it to the floor.

Her face went red and he felt her heart beating against his chest and he knew that he was right. And when her cheeks were flushed and she was looking at him that way, he wasn't even sure they'd make it to the bed. He placed his hands on her hips and turned them around so he was pushing them toward the bedroom door, and their eyes stayed locked, but they didn't kiss. And he didn't kiss her because he knew it was exactly what she wanted, and he kind of loved to tease her. The added bonus was when she finally begged him in that quiet, pleading tone that always made his pulse race a little faster. He couldn't refuse her what she wanted any longer.

The next day when she made the call to hire her assistant, she settled for almost perfect.


	22. Chapter 22

Only a week to go before Nathan's combine, and he and Peyton had barely seen each other since their huge argument. She'd been busy, with shows at Tric and trying to train her new assistant, and he'd been working pretty much around the clock to get the last few pieces of his game to fall into place. Everyone around him knew he was just as good - if not better - than he'd always been, but he felt he had more to give, and those who tried to defend against him knew that was a scary thought.

Peyton and Nathan had grown accustomed, though it wasn't what they wanted, to only seeing each other late at night or early in the morning. They both knew it was only for a little bit, and that things would return to some semblance of normal soon. She wouldn't ask him to not work so hard, and he wouldn't ask that of her either, unless he felt her health was in jeopardy again. The fact that they each understood the others' positions made everything easier.

She was already in bed when he got home from a rare night out. Lucas had called and said that he and the rest of the guys were heading to a local pub to watch several college basketball games at once on several TVs, and that was simply something he couldn't pass up. He'd kind of been neglecting all his friendships, and when he asked Peyton if it was alright with her, she'd laughed and told him he didn't need her permission. She had invited Brooke over and the two of them sat on the back porch and sipped wine and had a long overdue one on one chat.

He loved to come home and see her curled up in their bed. She always looked so cute, all sprawled out and tucked between the sheets. She always, for some reason, gravitated to the middle of the bed, so he always had to wake her up so she could move before he could crawl in with her. He wondered if that was exactly why she did it. And yeah, he kind of always loved to nudge her a little and wake her, so she could look at him through sleepy eyes and say his name in that way that always made his blood warm.

He shed his jeans and tee shirt and crawled atop her gently, resting just enough weight on her to wake her, but not scare her, and she let out a little moan and ran her hands up his back.

"Nathan," she murmured.

"Hey," he said softly, brushing the hair away from her face.

"Have fun?" she asked, her hands still moving idly over the bare skin of his back.

"I miss you," he replied honestly. He did have fun, and it was nice to just hang out with his friends, but he couldn't wait until he and Peyton fell into a routine again.

"You're on top of me," she pointed out, trying not to laugh.

Truthfully, she missed him too, of course. They were still in the 'honeymoon' stage of their relationship, and yet they could barely find time to talk, let alone do anything else.

"Do you have to get up early tomorrow?" he asked, unsure whether or not she had plans that Sunday morning.

"No," she said coyly, running her fingers through his hair.

"Are you too tired?" he asked, though he was sure he knew the answer already.

"No."

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

Her breathing was already a little uneven, and her hands still hadn't stopped moving, and she was craving him in all the best ways. She suspected he knew that.

"If I say no, you're gonna do it anyway, aren't you?" she teased, making him smile and nod his head. "Well then I guess I better say yes."

"It's in your best interest," he mumbled against her lips. He kissed her languidly, letting a little more of his weight fall against her, and he felt her shift beneath him to wrap her legs around his waist.

He had just pulled her tank top up over her head and laid her back down when he said the words that could have been interpreted as a joke, but they both knew were sincere.

"I like coming home to you."

She let out a breath and closed her eyes and she smiled right before he kissed her again.

She certainly liked him coming home to her, too.

----

Nathan woke up in the morning to Peyton tracing circles on his chest. It had been far too long since he woke up to that, and he wanted it more often. She felt him take a deep breath and squeeze her a little tighter. She knew he was awake, but he wasn't talking yet, and somehow that was perfectly OK with her.

It was probably 20 minutes of just laying together in the silence before she spoke.

"You want me to make you breakfast?"

"No," he insisted quickly, tightening his hold on her.

"Nathan..."

"Stop," he said. He was almost pouting, and she always secretly loved it when he did that. "I never get to see you anymore."

"So you want to hold me hostage in your bed?" she teased, pressing a kiss to his bare chest.

"_Our_ bed," he corrected. "And yes."

"Knowing us, someone's going to come to the door, or call, or..."

"And we'll ignore everyone," he interrupted. "And before I woke you up last night, I turned off your phone."

"You planned this?" she asked with a smile, pulling away from him just in time to see him blush a little bit. How he still had the ability to surprise her with the things he did and said was completely beyond her.

"Maybe a little," he admitted quietly, averting her gaze.

"I think that could be considered a crime," she said, snuggling back up against him and pulling the covers up over her shoulders as high as they'd go. "Kidnapping or...something."

"Don't care," he muttered, kissing the top of her head. "You're mine now."

She would have made fun of him, but he was just being far too adorable. And saying things like that was definitely the best way to make her do whatever he wanted. She was sure he was well aware of that fact.

They spent the next hour and a half drifting in and out of sleep, kissing occasionally and talking about mostly nothing. They hadn't done that in a long time; just spent time together without interruptions or someplace to be. He tried to ask about her work, but she wouldn't let him, and she tried to ask about basketball, but he wouldn't let her. It wasn't until he heard her stomach rumble loudly that he admitted that they should get out of bed.

"I could bring you food," he offered, but she shook her head vehemently. "Why?"

"I like cooking with you," she said softly, pulling away from him and climbing out of bed.

"I hate it when you do that," he grumbled.

"What?" she asked indignantly.

"Tease me! You get out of bed all naked and sexy, and there's really only one thing I can think about," he said, standing up and reaching for her wrist. He pulled her against him just as she'd pulled her robe over her arms, but it was left open, so he slipped his arms around her beneath the fabric.

"It's not my fault," she said coyly. "Maybe you should start getting out of bed before me."

"But then I wouldn't get to see you get out of bed all naked and sexy," he said in a low voice.

"Catch-22, huh?" she asked teasingly, pulling away from him and tying her robe. "Come on, Scott, your girl's hungry."

"So bossy!" he called after her as she walked down the hall.

He made the bed and tidied the room before heading downstairs in just his boxers. He had no intention of putting on proper clothes any time soon, knowing that it kind of drove her crazy when he distracted her like that. Sure enough, when he stepped into the kitchen to see her putting the finishing touches on their breakfast, she sighed and cocked her eyebrow at him, and he just shrugged his shoulders innocently.

They'd just finished eating, and were still sitting at the table as close together as they could get, when there was a knock at the door. Peyton stood and tried to walk past him, but he tugged her back towards him, making her fall into his lap.

"Nathan, we can't just ignore it," she said, totally thrown off track by his hand as it fell to her thigh. What she'd intended as an insistent statement certainly didn't come out as one.

"Yes, we can," he said softly, leaning forward to kiss the side of her neck.

The doorbell sounded, and he groaned, but didn't move, and didn't let her move.

"Nathan..."

"I hate people," he grumbled, making her laugh. "I just want _one_ day with you."

"It's kind of hard to believe that we managed to sneak around for so long without people finding out," she pointed out, trying to make him feel just a little bit better. She could tell he was genuinely upset that they always seemed to be interrupted.

"I really don't want to answer the door," he said, brushing the inside of her thigh with his fingertips, making her take a deep breath.

"So don't," she said, finally giving in to his wish to have the day just to the two of them. Certainly the way his hand was moving on her bare skin was making her want to do whatever he wanted her to do.

"They'll just call," he said, between kisses on her neck. "Or come back." She let out a moan that made him smirk, and he knew that there was no way he was answering the door. "Or find another way."

"Who cares?" she muttered, taking his face in her hands and kissing him languidly.

The doorbell rang again, twice in succession, and she threw her head back in frustration.

"The world hates us," she said angrily, standing from her spot and moving to walk towards the door.

"Hey!" he called, getting up and reaching for her wrist. "No way in hell are you answering the door like this."

"But you can answer the door in your underwear?" she asked incredulously. "I don't think so."

"One of us has to get it," he pointed out with a smirk.

The bell rang again, and they both looked to the door, then back at each other, both seemingly wondering how the person hadn't left yet. He saw the worry in her eyes, knowing instinctively that she was already thinking the worst, and took her hand in his and she stood, tucked behind him, as he pulled the door open.

"Dad," Nathan said, almost sighing his relief when he saw his father there, standing casually on his porch. "What's up?"

"Hey guys. I hope I'm not interrupting," he said, unable to hide his smirk when he saw their attire and noted that it was almost noon.

"No, not at all," he lied. He pulled the door open a little wider and let Dan into the foyer. "What's up?"

"We were going to meet at the River Court, but you didn't show," he said, glancing around the inside of his son's home. He'd never actually been inside before. "I just got a little worried when I called and there was no answer."

"Shit," Nathan mumbled. "I forgot."

"Clearly," Dan laughed.

"Go ahead," Peyton said from where she was standing, just behind Nathan. He turned to her and looked at her apologetically. "Go!"

"Will you come by later?" he asked. "Do whatever you have to do and come."

"Yes!" she cried, making both men laugh. "Go put clothes on, and get out of my house."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, knowing that she hadn't ever really called it 'her' house.

"Alright. I'll meet you there in like, 15 minutes," he said, turning back to Dan, who nodded, said goodbye and stepped outside.

Nathan grabbed Peyton by the hand and led her upstairs. She wasn't sure why he was doing it, but once they were in their bedroom it became clear. He pulled her against him and kissed her passionately, allowing his hands to get tangled in her hair, and making her moan against his lips.

"What was that?" she managed after they'd parted.

"_Your_ house?" he asked with a smirk, kissing her again.

He pulled away from her and moved to the closet, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, trying to catch her breath.

"_So_ not fair," she mumbled, making him laugh as he pulled on a pair of shorts.

"What?" he asked, in mock innocence.

"You can't just kiss me like that and then leave," she all but pouted. He kissed her forehead before changing his shirt. "I was going to just get dressed and come with you now, but I think I'll stay here."

"Why?" he asked, showing his disappointment.

"After that kiss? You can't just expect to turn a girl on like that and then not follow through," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "So maybe I'll stay here and...you know...finish what you started."

"You wouldn't," he choked out. He knew she liked to tease him, but this was just mean.

"Wouldn't I?" she asked with a raised brow. His response was a sound from low in his throat that told her that if he hadn't promised to be somewhere, he would waste no time taking off both their clothes and laying her down.

"Get dressed," he demanded gruffly, making her roll her eyes. "Peyton, I'm serious."

"Nathan, Dan's waiting, and I take forever," she argued, pulling away from him. His tone, however, had suggested that he wasn't joking whatsoever.

"Get dressed," he repeated. "I'll wait downstairs."

"Really?" she asked indignantly, placing a hand on her hip before he nodded. She sighed and began pulling a few articles of clothing from the closet.

"I'll play like shit if you stay here. All I'll be able to think about is you, and...It'll just be bad," he said, making her laugh before he walked out the door.

Nathan dropped Peyton off at her favourite coffee shop, and she told him she'd meet them at the River Court in a little bit. He stared at her long enough as she gathered her things to get out of his SUV, that it made her roll her eyes. Secretly, she was hoping that they really could have spent all day holed up in their house.

After ordering her coffee and a brief chat with the burgeoning musician behind the register, she made the walk through town towards the old court. She bumped into Mouth on the way and the two had a short conversation. They could see the court from where they were standing, and they both watched Nathan as he ran up and down the pavement.

She walked to the bleachers and sat patiently, completely content to just watch Nathan move around on the court as though he was being defended by an entire team. She'd never really forgotten how graceful he was on the court, and it may have been crazy to think it, but his movement was beautiful, the way he'd effortlessly move the ball and send up shot after shot.

After a few while, Dan moved to sit next to her instead of standing at half court, watching his son.

"Hi Peyton," he said with a smile.

"Hey Dan."

That she could even consider being so casual with him was a complete shock. But she was grateful to him and how dedicated he was to helping Nathan. She'd heard all about it. Nathan had gone so far as to say that he was thankful to Dan; obviously a huge step in their relationship. So she'd make an effort. For Nathan.

"He looks good, doesn't he," he said, nodding towards Nathan as he hit a perfect fade away.

She cast him a glance with a raised eyebrow, and he knew she was biting her tongue, trying not to say something inappropriate or cheeky. He just laughed in response, making her smile a bit.

"You've been really great with him, Dan," she said after a few moments. She avoided eye contact, because it was killing her to even say the words, and she suspected he knew that.

"He's still my son," he said softly. She met his eyes and offered a weak smile.

She thought back to her own life, her own situations with Ellie and later Mick, and how angry she'd been with both of them, as well as Larry. But it was true - she was still connected to all of them. She couldn't put herself in Dan's shoes, nor did she even want to try, but she could understand a little bit, at least, of how he was feeling. It might have been his own doing, but he was trying to right his wrongs in some small ways, and she couldn't really fault him for that. In fact, it might have been the most honourable thing he'd done in years.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked, turning to him a bit more.

"Sure," he said with a nod.

"And please, don't take this the wrong way," she pleaded politely. "But, why now? I mean, I know you have had a lot of time to think about everything, but why has it taken so long for you to just...be this man?"

He was nearly rendered speechless. Not only did he certainly not expect that question, but for the first time in years, he felt that someone other than Nathan (even that was only as recent as a couple weeks earlier) had seen him as a human being. A decent man. A _man_. She'd just paid him the greatest compliment, and he suspected she had no idea just what that meant to him.

"Perspective, Peyton," he said simply. "It comes to you in stages. You realize, well, I realized, that I spent half my life angry and bitter and closed off. Look where that got me." He spoke with emotion and regret, and she wondered if Nathan was helping him as much as he was helping Nathan. "That anger cost me everything. My wife, my sons...my brother. Everything. I know I can't get it all back. I know my own mistakes have made that impossible, and I have to live with that. So I'll take what I can get."

She almost had tears in her eyes. They had all waited for so long for Dan to realize every single thing he just said. What's more, was that he had meant it.

"You know he appreciates this," she stated. She was sure Nathan had thanked him before, but she felt the need to say the words anyway.

"He wouldn't have come to me if not for you," Dan reminded her. "So thank you."

"Don't thank me, Dan," she insisted, shaking her head. "Just...don't hurt him."

He just nodded in response, and they both knew he had no intentions of doing anything of the sort.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked after a few quiet minutes. She let out a quiet laugh and nodded. "I don't really know what happened between you and Lucas..."

"Oh God," she muttered. "Long story."

"Well," he said with a laugh, "I know you and he have always been friends. I don't talk to Nathan about him because...well, brotherly protection and all that."

"Those two certainly have that down to a science," she stated, making them both laugh. She got the feeling Dan was actually pretty proud of that fact.

"I just wonder if there's ever a chance for Lucas to...Not forgive me, I know that's too much to ask...but maybe just not hate me," he said quietly, looking to his hands.

"Lucas may never forgive you, Dan, but he still might want to hear the apology," she assured him gently. "It's different with him, you know? He was never close to you like Nathan was." She spoke the words without really thinking, and regretted them, thinking she'd gone too far. "I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"It's OK, Peyton," he promised her. "I just don't even know how to get him to listen to me."

She took a deep breath and looked out over the court, the steady thumping of the ball hitting the asphalt filling her ears. She knew the answer, she just wasn't sure she really wanted to go there. She knew Nathan wouldn't bring up Dan to Lucas, or ask his brother to hear the older man out. He just wouldn't do it.

"I don't know," she said softly. "I think the key with Lucas is to just give it time. He's even more stubborn than Nathan sometimes."

"Scary thought," Dan said with a smile.

Peyton Sawyer had grown into quite a woman, he realized. Selfless and determined, with a big heart and a strong will.

"Nathan is lucky to have you," he said sincerely. She scoffed and shook her head, but he wanted to make sure she knew it was the truth. "I think you've helped him more than anyone."

"I'm just..."

"In love with him?" he offered with a smile, making her do the same.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"Well, I believe he knows he's got one of the good ones," he assured her.

"I hope so," she said with a smile, then they both looked back at the court again, both seemingly amazed that Nathan could just play on his own with such determination for so long.

"He's started talking to me about things more," Dan admitted after a moment. "He told me about Haley and everything, and how you two came to be."

"It kind of scares me sometimes," she said. It was the first time she was admitting it to anyone, and it was strange that she was admitting it to Dan, but somehow, he felt like the perfect person to talk to.

"What does?"

"Haley, and the history," she said softly. "They have a son, you know? And all these stories from those years I was away, and...I don't know."

"I never disliked Haley, Peyton, no matter how much it may have seemed that way. I just...I wanted more for Nathan than that, as bad as that sounds," he started. "Haley is a wonderful woman, and she's apparently a wonderful mother, but I never thought they should have gotten married. I'm still proud of him, of both of them, really, for how they've dealt with everything, but I just...I never thought she was the one for him."

"I think everyone else does, though," she said, looking to the ground.

"Doesn't matter what everyone else thinks," he insisted quickly, shaking his head. "You two obviously have a good thing going on."

"Well, I think so," she said with a smile, making him chuckle.

"So don't doubt it," he told her, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Easy as that, huh?" She turned to him just in time to see him smile at her.

"It really is," he confirmed.

"What are you two talking about?" Nathan called, jogging over to them to take a drink of water.

"You," Peyton answered.

"Oh, of course," Nathan shrugged. "I meant, specifically."

Dan and Peyton exchanged a glance and started to laugh. There were still shadows of the boy they both used to know, and they both kind of loved that.

"I was just wondering how you convinced this amazing young woman to take you back," Dan said with a smirk, winking at Peyton when she rolled her eyes.

"You figure it out?" Nathan asked.

"Nope." Dan shook his head in the negative, and Peyton let out a sigh. She still hadn't learned how to take a compliment.

"Me neither," Nathan admitted, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Are you done?" Peyton asked, breaking up their laughter.

"Yup," Nathan said, looking at her in a way that he knew only she would be able to decode. "Let's get you home."

"I'll see you kids later," Dan said, chuckling as they all made their way to their cars.

"Tomorrow at 11:00?" Nathan asked, waiting for confirmation.

"Sounds good," Dan nodded. "Bye, Peyton."

They climbed into their cars, and once they were inside, Nathan closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the head rest before even turning the key.

"Tired?" Peyton asked, almost worriedly.

"No," he said, turning to her and opening her eyes. "You were distracting me."

"Whatever," she scoffed, waving off his statement.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked seriously. "All I could think about was you."

She wanted to refute his claims, but she knew that he wasn't joking at all. After the morning they'd had and the way they left things before they left the house, she was sure his mind had wandered.

"Well then," she said as she weaved her fingers through his, "let's get you home."

He took an audible breath and turned the key, and they made it to their house in record time, and she didn't even yell at him for driving just a little bit too fast, or for not even letting her kick off her shoes before he pulled her towards the stairs.

**----**

**A/N:** I just posted a Nathan/Peyton oneshot called The Night Before. Feel free (rather, feel encouraged!) to check it out.


	23. Chapter 23

Nathan had only two days before his tryout. Two days, and he felt better than he ever had about his game. He had a feeling he might just be quicker and smarter than he was the last time he played a real game, and Lucas, Skills and Dan all said the same thing.

He'd just gotten out of a really hot bath to soothe his aching muscles, and he pulled on a tee shirt and a pair of shorts before heading downstairs, where he could hear Peyton and Brooke talking in the living room. He'd briefly said hello when he walked through the door after a workout, but went straight upstairs and spent the last hour in the water.

He walked into the room to see them each holding bottles of Bud, their hair pulled up haphazardly and their feet propped up on the table. Brooke was in loose jeans and a faded sweatshirt, and Peyton was in a pair of sweatpants and one of Nathan's sweaters. The only thing setting them apart from every guy he'd ever seen relaxing, was that they were watching Grey's Anatomy instead of a sporting event.

"Hey, Superstar," Brooke chirped as he stood behind Peyton and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, Brooke," he replied, laughing at her adolescent nickname for him. She'd been calling him that since they were about 12, and it used to make him puff up with pride. It still kind of did.

"How are you feeling?" Peyton asked, tipping her head back to look up at him.

"Better now," he said with a smile, rubbing her shoulders gently.

"You want a beer? We'll share," Brooke said with a smirk.

"Nope," he said quickly. "Can't. Too many calories."

"Well thanks," Brooke muttered, looking to the label of the bottle in her hand. Peyton and Nathan watched as she seemed to decide on the spot that she didn't really care, and she shrugged her shoulders and took another swill.

"Where's Chase?" Nathan asked curiously.

"He had to have dinner with his parents," she explained hotly. "Some _family_ thing."

"And Brooke's mad that he didn't invite her," Peyton elaborated, making Nathan chuckle.

"I'm not mad!" Brooke protested. "I'm just...disappointed."

"Uh oh," Nathan mumbled, walking around to the front of the sofa to sit next to Peyton. "That's the worst."

"What?" Peyton asked.

"Anger is so much better than disappointment," he said, shaking his head. "Anger is easier to erase."

"You'd know," Brooke mumbled.

"Hey!" Peyton cried indignantly, coming to the defense of her man. He squeezed her shoulder appreciatively, because he loved that she thought she had to defend him.

"Sorry," Brooke said sincerely. "I just don't see what the big deal is. I mean, I've met his family before, and they loved me. I don't know why he's hiding our relationship from everyone. I really don't see the point of that."

The couple sitting to the right of her exchanged a look, and they glanced back over at her just as she'd realized what she'd said, and closed her eyes, wincing as it struck her how her statement sounded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You guys were different," she said before sighing loudly. "I'm just frustrated."

"Bud and McDoctors are helping," Peyton explained, looking at Nathan again as he laughed.

"Give Chase a break, Brooke," Nathan said seriously. "I think he's still worried about the Owen thing and stuff. I don't think he's intentionally hiding anything. Just trust him."

Peyton placed her hand on his thigh and moved her thumb in circles, appreciating his support of their friend. She kind of loved that he was always there to help everyone, and she really couldn't ask for anything more than him. And even if she could, she wouldn't.

"Thanks, Nathan," Brooke said quietly, offering a gentle nod. She liked that she could get a man's opinion.

"Any time."

"OK," she said, rising from her spot, "I should go and leave you two kids alone."

"I love how she calls us kids, but she's actually younger than both of us," Nathan pointed out with a smirk. "Brooke, you don't have to go."

"I know," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I might have maybe yelled at someone, and maybe he deserves a bit of an apology."

"Go do your thing," Peyton said with a smile. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Bye, guys."

Brooke walked out front door, and Peyton leaned into Nathan a little bit more when it was just the two of them alone in the room again. They'd fallen back into a little bit more of a routine, now that Peyton's assistant, Rebecca, was so comfortable in her role. Peyton could steal away from the office early, or go in late, and she didn't have to worry so much about how much work she had to do. She hadn't admitted it out loud, but she kind of wished she'd hired an assistant sooner. She hadn't admitted it, because she knew Nathan would give her that smug smile and say that he told her so.

"Thank you," she said softly as she rest her head against his shoulder comfortably. "She needed that."

She felt him shrug beneath her, and she just let out a breath and shook her head. She knew he wasn't just being humble, or downplaying the significance of his words to her best friend. There was something going on with him - he'd been a little off all day - and his conversation with Brooke was the most she'd heard him speak since that morning.

"Nathan," she said pleadingly, asking him subtly to tell her what was wrong.

"Hmm?" he asked, faking interest in the gruesome surgical procedure going on on the screen before them.

"You're gonna play it like that, huh?" she inquired, pulling away from him. He furrowed his brow, pretending - poorly - that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Can you just tell me already?"

"It's nothing," he said, failing in his attempts to convince her. She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically, and moved to sit across from him on the coffee table, placing her legs between his knees. "I was just looking at the list of teams that are coming to this thing."

"OK...?"

"And there's only one of them even in the state," he explained.

"Oh," she said softly, looking down at their hands when he took hers in his.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Well, where are the rest of them?" she asked, trying not to show that his words have had any effect on her. They absolutely did.

"Philly, Richmond, Charleston and Augusta," he explained, remembering the list he'd been sent that morning. "And Wilmington."

"OK, well, Charleston and Augusta are pretty close, and Richmond's not _that_ far," she said with a smile. "And Wilmington's only a half hour away."

"I know," he said softly, nodding his head. "I just never really thought about that part, you know? Like when I make a team, I'm gonna be somewhere else."

"_When_ you make a team is right," she said confidently, making him smirk at her. "Being away from home comes with being a baller."

"Peyton, you can't get away with saying 'baller'," he informed her seriously, making her roll her eyes. He laughed, but really, he loved her confidence in him. "I just always had Jamie with me, you know? And I just don't want to be without you guys."

She took a deep breath and smiled at him, and then moved to sit in his lap. She rest her head against his, and his hand fell to her thigh, the other one playing with the bottom of her - well, his - sweater at the small of her back.

She loved - still, always - that he kept referring to her like she was his family. To him, she was. Jamie and Peyton, and his mom and his brother. Slowly, his father was making his way back onto that list, too. Those people made up his family, and as much as he loved basketball, he loved them more. He knew that playing the game was his way to ensure that his family got everything they deserved, but he still hated the thought of being away from his son and Peyton for long stretches of time.

"What are you thinking?" he asked after a few moments.

"I'm thinking we'll just hope for Wilmington or Charleston," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "And we'll cross whatever bridge we need to cross when we get there."

"What does that mean?" he inquired, making her pull away so she could look him in the eye.

"That means that I go where you go." She smiled as she said it, as though it was the simplest thing in the world to her.

It was.

He let out a breath that he may have meant to be a laugh, but she heard only relief. He smiled before he kissed her, and he mumbled an I love you against her lips.

He knew it all wasn't as easy as she was making it sound, but she was reassuring him and making promises he knew she meant, even if they ended up changing everything. He had a lot to think about with regards to Jamie and Haley. He knew she couldn't just up and leave her label, but he also knew that she'd take the label with her if she left Tree Hill. He didn't want her to have to do that, but she'd do it anyway. She was stubborn, and he loved that about her, even when it meant she didn't listen to him.

Because if he told her to stay in their hometown and he moved, she'd look at him like he was crazy.

"So why do you watch this crap?" he asked once she was seated next to him again.

"Hot doctors," she said simply.

"Right," he said with a laugh, watching her as she drained the last of her beer. It struck him, then - again - how _cool_ she was. Really, she was the coolest girl he knew. Casual, laid back, and effortless. "_You're_ pretty hot."

"What?" she asked loudly, surprised by his sudden observation.

"Seriously," he started, speaking with his lips against her temple, "you're so hot."

"Down, boy," she warned, standing up with the intention of taking her empty bottle to the kitchen, before he reached for her hand. "I don't understand you sometimes. I'm wearing sweatpants and drinking beer."

She was standing directly in front of him, with a hand on her hip, and her head cocked the side, looking at him like he was nuts.

"That's exactly what makes you hot," he pointed out, laughing when she rolled her eyes.

She began walking to the kitchen, and the phone rang, and she heard him shout that he'd answer it.

She stood in the kitchen in front of the fridge, looking at the 6-pack with only two beers gone, debating whether or not she wanted another. She decided against it, and made her way back into the living room with a couple glasses of water.

"What's going on?" she asked, stepping into the room just as he'd hung up the phone.

"Lindsey left," he said, still stunned by the news.

"What?" she asked, completely taken aback.

"She left. She went to New York," he clarified, finally locking eyes with her.

"What?" she asked again, still in shock. "Why?"

"I don't know. Haley just said Luke called her after work. I guess Lindsey left this afternoon. He's asking for you," he told her, trying to read her reaction to that news.

"Me?" she asked skeptically. "Why?"

He was afraid that he already knew the answer, and though he was a confident man, he'd always feel just a _little_ bit of insecurity when it came to Peyton and Lucas. He shrugged his shoulders because he didn't know what else to do, and she sat next to him again.

"What should I do?" she said, shaking her head.

And that simple question put his mind at ease. She wasn't running out the door, worried and frantic to get to the man who'd requested her. She was talking to Nathan, reaching for his hand, and completely unsure of how to react to the news that Lucas was asking for her.

"If you see another book written about you..."

He couldn't even finish the sentence, because the look she was throwing at him was a warning, and he heeded it.

"I don't know what you should do. Just go see how he is," Nathan said shrugging his shoulders again. "He's still your friend."

"I know," she nodded. "I..."

"What?" he asked uneasily when her voice trailed.

"I don't know what he's expecting," she said quietly.

"Does it matter?" he inquired, running his thumb over her knuckles.

She knew what that question really meant, and she wouldn't have him doubting their relationship just because Lindsey had apparently thrown in the towel on hers. They didn't know that for certain, but even if they were to assume it, it wouldn't matter.

"Nathan," she said, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him. "I love you."

"I know you do," he said with a smile, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Go on."

"I don't have to..."

"Yeah, you do," he insisted, and they both knew he was right. He was worried about his brother, too, and if Peyton could help, then he had no problem with that.

He wasn't really worried, and he'd only questioned her about it because he, for some reason, wanted her to say those words. He'd never get sick of hearing that he was the only one for her.

"If I'm not back in an hour, assume I'm still screaming at him for letting Lindsey get away," she said as she stood.

He laughed and nodded, and then he noticed that she wasn't changing. Her hair was still a near disaster, and she was in her sweats and his Maryland sweatshirt, and that in itself was another silent confirmation that she didn't care what Lucas thought.

Nathan knew that at the end of the day, she was still coming home to him. She'd shed her clothes, and crawl into bed next to him. She'd trace letters on his chest and hum in his ear when his fingertips danced over her skin. She was his. Lucas - or no one else - was going to change that.

"I'm taking the Range Rover!" she called from the back door, jingling his keys for no reason.

"No!" he shouted back, getting up and running from the living room. "No you're not."

"Nathan, you're blocking mine in, and I don't want to mess around," she complained when he appeared in the doorway. "You really don't trust me? I've driven it before."

"Yeah, with me next to you," he pointed out, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Can I just remind you of how many car accidents _you've_ been in?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip as she grinned. "Let's see, you crashed _my_ car, a race car, a motor cycle...Am I forgetting anything?"

"Very funny," he deadpanned, but he couldn't help himself from smiling. "Just be careful, OK?"

"Oh my God, Nathan! I know you love your car, but..."

"It's not the car I worry about," he said, shaking his head as he smirked.

She heaved a sigh and locked eyes with him, and she could tell that he was just waiting for her to show him that his statement was actually pretty adorable. She'd always thought he was insulting her driving skills, and sometimes she knew he was, but this spin on his concern was definitely giving her some perspective.

"I'll be careful," she promised. "Bye."

He winked at her and she smiled at him, and she stepped into the garage, leaving him to hope that she'd be home soon, and that his brother wasn't being as much of a moron as he was capable of being.

Peyton was surprised, when she turned the key in Nathan's SUV, to hear the exact album playing that not only had she wanted to hear, but she'd been looking for, for days. She didn't know he'd taken it, and she would have scolded him for that, but she kind of loved that he was listening to one of her favourites without her around. Something about that just made her heart beat a little faster.

The 15 minute drive to Lucas and Lindsey's - hopefully _still_ Lucas and Lindsey's - house, Peyton wondered what she was about to walk in on and how she was going to handle it. But Nathan was right. Lucas and Peyton were still friends, so whatever he needed from her, within reason, she'd provide. A shoulder to cry on, or a sounding board, or someone to vent to. She had a feeling, however, that he'd ask her for advice.

And she'd been there with him before. She spent a summer beneath the sun with him, listening to him ask her about Brooke and how he could win her back. She spent evenings with him in the middle of their senior year, him pining over her best friend while she sat, in love with him though he had no clue. She had let him go so he could be happy. She'd done it more than once, and he was screwing that all up. She wanted to be mad at him, and maybe she was, a little bit, but more than anything, she was worried for him. She knew how much he loved Lindsey, and so she would again sit with him and get the whole story, and she'd help him win back the woman he shouldn't have let go.

She stepped into his house without knocking, and he looked over at her from his spot on the sofa. The house was eerily quiet, and he wasn't reading or really doing anything. He was just sitting there, no doubt torturing himself with whatever happened between he and his wife.

"Start talking," she said with a small smile as she sat down next to him.

"Nice sweater," he observed with a smirk, making her roll her eyes. She loved that sweater, and on any other day, she probably would have spent more time letting him tease her about it. She wasn't in the mood for that right now.

"Did you do something stupid?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't know," he groaned, tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. "A couple weeks ago, she started talking about New York."

"Nathan said something about that," she interjected, speaking calmly.

"Well, I pretty much shot down the notion of moving. I mean, I'm not giving up on the Ravens, and my family is here, you know? And you and Brooke and the guys. I'm not just going to leave."

"OK," she said gently, encouraging him to continue.

"She brought it up again today, out of nowhere, talking about how she has this huge 5th Avenue apartment just sitting there, and I just...I kind of cut her off and wouldn't let her finish," he explained. "I asked why she keeps bringing it up, and she got all defensive and angry."

"You're an idiot," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Wha...?"

"Lucas! She wants you to _listen_ to her," she said urgently. "You ever think that she brought up the move to just start a conversation with you?"

"I..."

"She probably doesn't even _want_ to move," she told him. "She probably just wants to know what you want, and you're so _damn_ closed off sometimes, that she has to take drastic measures. You ever think that maybe she just wanted to talk to you about the property she owns? That maybe this time she wasn't going to suggest a move, but ask your opinion on something to do with it?"

"I don't..."

"She's your _wife_, Lucas," she said, interrupting him again. She wasn't about to let him make excuses. "You need to listen to her. And talk to her. And stop being such an idiot."

He thought, for a moment, about all she just said, and he realized that she was absolutely right. Lindsey, that day, hadn't suggested or even said the word 'move'. She'd just mentioned the name of the city, and he'd jumped to conclusions and made her angry. He could understand that now.

"Wow," he whispered before turning to look at her. "I'm an idiot."

"You are an idiot," she repeated, smiling as she nodded. "Call her right now."

"She won't answer," he told her, shaking his head.

She pulled her cell out of her purse and handed it to him, but he looked at her like she was nuts.

"No," he insisted, holding up his hands. "No way."

"Lucas, take it," she demanded.

"You want me to call my wife from my ex-girlfriend's phone," he said skeptically, with a raised eyebrow.

"No," she said. "I want you to call your wife from your brother's girlfriend's phone."

He laughed, but shook his head again, and she could tell he was going to protest once more, so she scrolled through her phone until she hit Lindsey's name, and then pressed the green button and handed the phone to him.

His eyes went wide as it rung in his ear, and she pointed to his bedroom, mouthing the words,_ 'I'll wait'_, to him as he stood. He should have known she'd be so damn stubborn. Maybe that was exactly why he'd asked for her in the first place.

"Yeah. Linds. It's me," she heard him say as he closed the door behind him.

She sat in his living room, channel surfing with her feet up on the coffee table while she waited for him to finish his call. It just reminded her once more of how different everything was in their little town, and how all their friendships were being rebuilt and retooled. If anyone has asked any of their friends who would be the one helping Lucas reconcile with his wife, the answer certainly wouldn't have been Peyton.

But there she was, looking at him expectantly 20 minutes later when he stepped out of his bedroom. She switched off the television when he sat down next to her and handed her the phone.

"Well?" she asked hopefully.

"You were right." He mumbled it, almost like it killed him to admit it.

"I know," she said with a smirk.

"She's coming home in a couple days. She has a couple meetings, I guess," he explained. "But I apologized and we talked about the apartment, and she told me she was just going to ask my advice because she was thinking of selling it."

"So, roughly translated, I'm a genius," she said, cocking her head coyly, green eyes sparkling like they always did when she knew she was right.

"_Very_ roughly," he said with a laugh. "Seriously, Peyton, thank you."

"No problem," she insisted, shrugging her shoulders. "We all know you just need a kick in the ass sometimes."

"Really, you're being too sweet," he scoffed, shaking his head.

"Quit messing up, and I'll be nice to you!" she cried playfully. "But you're welcome."

She stood from her spot and dropped her phone into her bag before pulling out her keys.

"Nathan let you drive the Range Rover?" he asked skeptically upon noticing she had his brother's keys and not her own.

"I am a _good_ driver!" she shouted in exasperation.

He held his hands up defensively, but she could see he was biting his tongue, really wanting to say something else. The look she gave him, she suspected, made him think twice.

"I'll see ya," she said, reaching for the doorknob.

He said a goodbye, and she could tell immediately that he was in a far better mood than he'd been in just a half hour earlier. She was happy to have helped, and even happier to be on her way home. When Lindsey called her as she was driving, she got a thank you from her, too, and the two of them promised to grab coffee together when Lindsey came back home. It wasn't lost on Peyton that Lindsey actually said the word 'home', either.

When she pulled into the driveway, she noticed a familiar car parked on the street in front of the house, and she rushed inside to confirm that the visitor was who she thought it was.

She stepped inside, only to hear shouting from the living room. It was nothing to be alarmed about - it was clear the two voices were yelling at the television and not at each other.

She stood in the doorway of the living room for a moment, barely able to believe her eyes, before she was noticed.

"Hey kiddo."

"Dad," she said softly, smiling as both men watched her rush forward and wrap her arms around her father.

Nathan laughed at her, only because he thought she was adorable. She talked about her father all the time - talked _to_ her father all the time - and he knew she missed the man more than she'd really let on. He hadn't known Larry was in town, and he learned that it was a surprise visit. When Larry showed up on his doorstep that evening, Nathan was a bit shocked, but the two of them had a bit of a chat and bonded over a basketball game as they waited for Peyton to come home.

Their chat included a light teasing from the older man, letting Nathan know that he was getting his second chance and he'd better not blow it. There was only a shred of seriousness to it, but Nathan gave an honest assurance that he was actively doing his best not to mess things up. That was all Larry needed to hear, to know that the young man had no intentions of hurting his little girl.

Even then, it wasn't so much the words he said.

It was the look on his face as he said them. Full of respect and love and promise. Larry would have said more, but he knew it wasn't necessary. He could tell right away that the man sitting before him was a far cry from the boy he used to know.


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning, while Nathan was working out, Peyton met her dad for breakfast and a chat before going for a walk through the little town that Larry insisted he missed more now that his daughter was back. Even more, now that she was happy. He was leaving the next day on another job and he wanted to spend as much time with his little girl as possible.

"So, you and Nathan are pretty serious," he stated, though it was obvious to both of them. They just hadn't talked about it in person yet, and he didn't know how else to bring it up.

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "You knew that, though."

"Yeah, I did, but it's different when you can see it with your own eyes," he pointed out, and she nodded.

"He was so worried that you weren't going to like him," she said, almost showing her relief that he seemed to have no problem with her boyfriend.

"Oh honey, I'm not here to judge," he said, shaking his head, only to see her looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"That's exactly why you're here!" she said with a laugh, making him look to his feet as he chuckled. "You're my dad. That's what you're supposed to do."

"I'm glad you realize that," he said, making her laugh.

"Well?" she asked after a few moments of silence, just the two of them strolling down the street together.

"He's a good man," he said seriously, looking down at her. "He's certainly grown up a lot since the last time I saw you two together."

"Yeah, he has," she said, smiling fondly.

"I kind of get the impression that he'd do anything for you," Larry pointed out, innocently enough. Really, he was happy that she'd found someone willing to give her everything she deserved. And if you asked him, she deserved a lot. That may have been biased.

"I think he would," she said softly. Larry threw his arm around his daughter's shoulder and pulled her into his side as they walked, and her arm made its way around his waist.

"And I think you'll say yes if this one asks you to marry him," he said, making her pull away, mouth gaping, and swat him on the chest as he laughed.

"Dad!"

"Calm down, girl," he laughed. "I like Lucas, Peyton, but now you know why I didn't want you beating yourself up over saying no to him. And before you tell me that you didn't say no, _I know_. But for the sake of argument..."

"What?" she asked with a furrowed brow.

She'd had a lot of conversations with her father about Lucas and the proposal and everything that had happened between them. There was a time when Larry really believed that Lucas was the one for her. That, however, all changed when his daughter was left alone in a hotel room one night in L.A. He knew that a man in love with a woman and proposing marriage, wouldn't have just walked away. He still didn't know why Lucas had done it, but it had made him realize that the blonde boy was just not the one for his little girl.

"Don't you see it now?" he asked, stopping to sit on a bench in the center of town. "You not saying yes was the same as you saying no."

"Dad," she admonished, shaking her head.

"Peyton, a man doesn't propose unless he already knows the answer," he explained. "If the answer isn't yes, it's no. I know you asked for time, but if he'd been the one for you, you wouldn't have needed it. Or if he'd been the one for you, he would have waited if he had to."

She didn't know how he knew those words - maybe he'd read Lucas' book - but they hit her hard. He hadn't waited. All the hurt that came along with that was erased when she fell in love with Nathan.

"You're probably right," she admitted quietly. She heard him chuckle; they both knew how hard it was to say he was right.

"So would you?" he asked.

"What?" She turned to him with her brow knit, wondering what he was referring to.

"Say yes. If Nathan asked you," he specified.

She felt the blush creep to her cheeks, and she looked back to the ground in front of them. And she _smiled_.

Larry had his answer.

"The thing is," she started after a moment of silence, "he's not going to. Not now. And that's totally fine. There's no rush on anything. We're good just the way we are."

"And that's what I'm saying," he reminded her. "Doesn't matter when or how, the answer would be the same. And that, my dear, is what they call 'the one'. And I'm pretty sure you found yours when you were six and you begged your mother to help you make a special Valentine for 'little Nathan Scott'."

She let out a breathy laugh and smiled at the memory of her and her mom, at the kitchen table in that old house, cutting hearts out of red construction paper and writing Nathan's name in silver glitter pen.

"He still has that."

She'd found it, as they tried to choose which pictures to frame and put up in the living room. It was in that box with those old photographs, tucked away among still shots of them in their younger days. He'd blushed when he told her that he wouldn't let his mother throw it away when she'd tried when he was eight.

"Of course he does, sweetie," Larry said softly.

He pulled her into his side again and pressed a kiss to her temple, and the two of them sat there, in the middle of their little town. A father and his daughter, both thinking about the serious conversation they'd just had. She, happy to have his 'blessing', and he, happy to see her in such a healthy relationship.

After a while, they went to see Brooke, who hadn't expected him and squealed excitedly when she saw him. The three of them sipped coffee and talked, and Larry mused that it was strange to sit with the two 'girls' as adults, and talk about more than cheerleading or shopping or whatever else the two of them used to talk about in his presence. Brooke reminded him that the third thing was usually a Scott boy.

And then, they realized, they still talked about a Scott boy. Two, actually. Jamie and Nathan.

That night, Larry met the little boy when he had dinner with Nathan, Peyton, and Jamie. He was taken with the tiny blonde, and the interest was mutual. Larry had all sorts of stories to tell about boats and storms and all kinds of things that kids get excited over. Nathan just laughed as he watched Jamie's eyes go wide at yet another tall tale of the ocean that he was certain Larry was making up on the spot.

Peyton and Jamie were carrying on a conversation, and the boy was laughing at something she said, and Larry watched in admiration of how his daughter acted with her boyfriend's son. She had always been great with kids - since she was old enough to be bigger than the other kids on the playground. He knew all about Jenny Jagielski and Angie, but this was different. She was far more more maternal.

He left that evening feeling older than he'd ever felt, and he told her that. She was so grown up and mature, and he told her that she had inherited that grace from her mother. They shared a smile over that, then he hugged her tightly, and told her he'd see her in a month, when he was in town again. He shook Nathan's hand, and patted Jamie on the head, and then he was out the door.

Peyton couldn't help but think how great a grandfather her dad was going to be someday, and Nathan couldn't help but think - as he did every time he saw her with Jamie - how great a mother Peyton was going to be someday.

----

That Friday, the day before Nathan's tryout, Peyton decided to stay home with him. He'd asked her, nervously, if she could skip work and just stay at the house with him. She could tell he hadn't really wanted to ask, and she certainly couldn't say no to him. She called her assistant, and she made Nathan breakfast while he went for a short run.

They'd eaten together, carrying on their usual conversation and joking nature, and then he asked her if she'd go with him to the River Court. He had told her that he wasn't going to shoot around that day, and she teased him when they both realized that he couldn't stay away. She knew, however, that that was what set him apart from everyone else. He just loved the game.

She watched as he leisurely shot the ball, wanting to conserve his energy for the next day, and cheered him on when he'd get a sudden burst of energy and slam an impressive dunk.

After a while, he sat down next to her, and intertwined their fingers, and she could tell he was confident about his game, but that there was still a bit of lingering uncertainty, and she wanted to erase that.

"You are _so_ ready for this," she assured him with a smile.

"I think I am," he said, nodding his head.

"How are you feeling?" she asked seriously. They both knew that it wasn't a question about his physical condition, but his mental condition.

"I'm feeling like...I don't know. Like I'll be OK whatever happens," he said softly.

"Really?" she asked skeptically.

"Oh, I'll be pissed if I don't get picked up," he said, making her laugh. "But I'll still have everything I need, right here."

He was referring to her, and his son, and the old court they were sitting at. The Ravens and coaching and his family. He was blessed, and he knew that.

"You've come so far," she reminded him. "It's hard to believe that two months ago, you were complaining about being out of shape."

"That feels like forever ago," he mused, turning to her. Memories of their weekend in Durham flashed through his mind. "That was such an amazing weekend."

"You just liked it because it was all sex and basketball," she scoffed, shaking her head at him.

"Exactly," he muttered, making her laugh and hit his arm as he chuckled.

"But really," she started seriously, "are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"I'm a little nervous," he admitted. "But I'm more just...anxious. I can't wait to get out there and play at that level again. I mean, Skills is an amazing ball player, but there's only one of him."

"So you actually have like, scrimmages and stuff?" she asked

"Yeah, after all the evaluation and physical and stuff, you get put on teams and play for a bit," he explained.

"Oh, you are going to kick _ass_ at that," she insisted, making him laugh again. "I'm serious! Nathan, you are going to be amazing."

"I hope so," he said with a smile.

"So what time do you have to leave tomorrow?" she asked.

"Early. Everything starts at 9:00," he said, making her grimace. "What?"

"Well, you are going to have to wake me up before you go so I can wish you good luck, and you have to leave the house at like, what, 6:30?"

"That sounds about right. I'm not gonna wake you, though," he said, shaking his head.

"Like hell you aren't!" she cried. "You are waking me up. If you don't, you'll be sorry."

"But you love sleep," he teased, standing and pulling her up with him.

"I love you more," she said with a smile.

"More than sleep?" he asked, feigning shock. "Wow. That's pretty big."

"Shut up and kiss me, Superstar," she murmured, leaning into him.

He pulled her as close to her as he could, and he kissed her maybe a little more passionately than he should have, but he didn't care. She had so much faith in him that sometimes it was overwhelming. She really believed in him more than anyone, and he knew none of it was for show. And really, if she wanted to call him Superstar, he wasn't going to stop her.

"So," she said as they parted and started towards the car, "what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

"More of that?" he requested, making her let out a breath and shake her head. She really set herself up for that one.

"I'm serious," she admonished.

"So am I." He gave her one of those smirks, and she rolled her eyes as she hopped into the passenger seat. "Why don't we just hang out at the house?"

"And do what?"

"Why do we have to do something?" he asked with a chuckle. "Can't we just be together?"

"You see, saying things like that is what's going to get you more of the kissing," she said softly, taking his hand in hers. He looked over at her and offered a boyish grin, and her jaw dropped. "That's the only reason you said that, isn't it!?"

"No," he said with a laugh. "But it was _part_ of the reason."

"Too charming, Mr. Scott," she teased.

"Seriously? You're going to pull _that_ out right now?" he asked as they started driving. He saw her out of the corner of his eye, coyly shrugging her shoulders.

God, he loved that woman.

"I love you," he said. Just had to.

Not that she was complaining.

She wove her fingers through his and leaned towards him a little bit more, and she said those words back to him.

He was definitely nervous about what was going to happen, or not happen, as a result of the following day, but he hadn't been lying when he said that he had everything he needed.

Basketball was just something he really, really _wanted_.

----

The room was dark when she was shaken awake, and she was completely disoriented until she saw and felt the man kneeling next to her at the side of the bed.

"Morning," he said softly.

"I'm up," she mumbled, sitting up and running her hand over her face. There was just a little light coming from the bathroom, and it took her eyes a moment to adjust.

"Don't get out of bed," he ordered with a smile. "I just knew you'd hate me if I didn't wake you."

"I'd never hate you," she murmured, still half asleep and totally out of sorts.

She had on one of his faded old Gilmore tee shirts, with his name and number on the back. Her hair was a disaster and her eyes were bleary, and he knew she'd fall back to sleep as soon as he stepped into the hall. But she'd insisted that he wake her, and this was one of those moments that he was definitely going to remember. Her looking adorable and losing sleep so she could see him off.

"That's good," he said softly. "What are you going to do today?"

"Hmm," she mumbled as she stretched. "I don't know. Think about you?"

"Same as any other day, huh?" he asked, smirking when she smiled at him sweetly. "I've gotta go."

She stood from the bed, despite him telling her not to, and she wrapped her arms around him tightly before kissing him quickly.

"Good luck," she said quietly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, leaning down to kiss her once more.

"Now get out of here and go prove that Nathan Scott is the best unsigned basketball player on the east coast," she insisted, pushing him away from her.

He could only smile at her, because she'd rendered him absolutely speechless with her faith in him. He should have been used to it by now, but he wasn't. Every time she said something like that, his heart raced and he had to wonder why she'd chosen him.

"Call me later," she requested when he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I will," he promised. She swatted his behind when he turned around. He looked at her over his shoulder, and she just shrugged and sent him a wink.

He chuckled when she climbed back into bed as he headed for the door, and before he could step into the hall, her voice stopped him.

"Nathan," she called, sitting up again and letting the covers fall to her waist. "Whatever happens."

She repeated the words he'd said the day before, and he just smiled again and nodded his head, and then he was gone.

She couldn't get back to sleep, but not because she'd been woken so harshly. She knew he wouldn't even be at his tryout for a couple hours, but she was anxious. She could hardly think about anything but him, and she desperately needed something to take her mind off him. It was going to be futile, she knew, but she'd still try.

She got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, and headed downstairs to make some coffee. The house sounded extra quiet that morning, for some reason. It was a little unnerving to her, and she decided she needed to get out, so she slipped on a pair of shoes and grabbed her mug, and she took a stroll along the beach.

She was the youngest person walking, by far, and sent kind smiles and hellos to the people she passed. She found a quiet spot and sat herself down, cradling her mug in her hands as she looked out over the water.

The beach was peaceful that early on a Saturday morning, and it made her wonder, perhaps too philosophically, what else she missed out on when she was sleeping away her mornings.

She had just finished her coffee when she noticed someone sit down next to her, and she could only laugh before they spoke.

"Peyton Sawyer awake before 10:00 on a Saturday?" she teased.

"'Morning, Brooke," she said with a laugh.

"The big day, huh?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah. He left about an hour ago," she explained, looking over to her best friend.

"You nervous?" Brooke inquired with a knowing smile.

"Way more than he is," Peyton admitted, making the brunette chuckle and nod her head.

"Me too." Peyton looked at Brooke again with a questioning glance. "We all want this for him, Peyton."

She knew that everyone supported Nathan, of course, but it never really hit her how much everyone was pulling for him until that moment. Maybe she and Jamie, Dan and Luke felt it a little more, but everyone else was just as thrilled that he was playing again and doing his best to try to grab his dream.

"So why are you up so early?" Peyton asked.

"Superstar called me on his way out of town and said that you'd need a distraction today," Brooke said with a grin, laughing when Peyton rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's grab breakfast and go shopping."

Peyton rolled her eyes dramatically, but was thankful to her best friend for the effort.

They walked back to the house, and Peyton quickly changed her top, at Brooke's request. Apparently the tattered Tree Hill High sweatshirt wasn't to Brooke's liking. She offered to make breakfast at the house, but Brooke insisted they head to the 'greasy spoon' diner that Chase insisted had the best western omelets he'd ever had.

They ran into Lucas in town and had a brief conversation, and he'd said that Lindsey was coming back that afternoon, so he was just getting flowers. Brooke and Peyton laughed and told him to make it a big bouquet to atone for his making Lindsey skip town in the first place. It was a joke, and they all knew that, but they all knew there was just a little bit of truth to it.

Brooke laughed at how they were all able to joke and talk so candidly about their relationships after everything that had happened, which led to Lucas making fun of Brooke for getting back together with Chase. He knew, however, that she wasn't taking the relationship lightly, and so he told her that he thought it was great that she and Chase were happy.

Lucas told Peyton to have Nathan call him later, and she assured him she would, and then they went their separate ways, with Brooke claiming there were boutiques in the next town over that she wanted to go to.

By the time she got home that evening, she was exhausted from trying to keep up with Brooke, but she was thankful that her day had been full instead of her just sitting around the house.

Nathan walked through the door just 20 minutes after she did, and greeted her in the same way he always did, leaving her wide eyed in anticipation of his report on the day. She questioned him on every detail while she rubbed his shoulders for him, and he admitted that he felt amazing.

What he didn't tell her, was that one of the team managers that was there had all but told him he had a roster spot. He wouldn't get Peyton's hopes up, and he tried not to get his hopes up either. He'd learned the hard way not to take anything for granted, so until he had official word, he'd just keep doing his thing and keep practicing.

"I'm so proud of you," she said softly.

He didn't say anything. He couldn't. His voice wouldn't work, and so he showed his appreciation in the form of kisses to whatever parts of her skin he could kiss.

"How are you not exhausted?" she asked with a giggle as he nuzzled her neck.

"You wake me up," he muttered against her skin.

She got the feeling he meant that in a lot more ways than one.

His hand gently caressed her hip, and she knew she was a goner. Statements like that, and kisses like those, and touches like that one, all had her heart racing. When he brought it up, she shrugged her shoulders and said that she just loved him, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

He didn't know how to thank her for her support, and when he tried to say the words, she shook her head and said he didn't need to thank her.

And he wondered, for a brief moment between kisses, if that's what true love really was.

----

It was a week later, and Nathan had lost a bet when they'd watched a hockey game on television.

The night before, he'd insisted that Carolina would win against Boston, and she'd laughed and reminded him that Boston was, statistically, one of the best teams in the sport at the moment. He'd scoffed and dared her to make it interesting. She, knowing she wouldn't lose, offered him something so sexy that he almost choked on his drink, and had his eyes darkening at just the thought. All she wanted if she won was one really great meal cooked for her.

So there he was, standing in the kitchen, beginning to prepare his 'secret' recipe (meaning, the one he'd called his mom for the day before) of roast beef and wild mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and green beans, while Peyton sipped wine in the living room.

They both heard the phone ring, and as they'd come accustomed to in the days since his tryout, he answered. She couldn't bring herself to, and his heart raced every time the phone rang, and it was just easier if he answered.

"Hello?...Yeah, this is Nathan," he said.

Peyton heard him from the living room, wondering if this was the call they'd been waiting for. She sprang from her seat and made her way to the kitchen to see him standing there, having just hung up. He had the phone in his hand and his head down, and she really didn't know what that meant.

"Nathan," she said softly, making him turn to her.

She couldn't read the expression on her face, and it scared her a little.

"Well?" she asked urgently.


	25. Chapter 25

_"Nathan," she said softly, making him turn to her. _

_She couldn't read the expression on her face, and it scared her a little. _

_"Well?" she asked urgently. _

He set the phone on the counter and braced himself with his hands, trying to digest the information. He knew it was torturing her that he wasn't speaking, but he just couldn't yet.

"Nathan!" she cried in frustration.

He let out a breathy laugh of almost disbelief when he looked at her again, and then he smiled, and she bit her lip in anticipation.

"It's Wilmington," he said softly, watching her eyes light up. "I'm going to play for Wilmington!"

"Oh my God!" she shouted, rushing towards him and flying into his arms.

He laughed and lifted her up off the ground a little as she held onto him, and he could practically feel the excitement radiating off her. He loved her for that.

"Are you serious?" she asked after several long moments of just standing in his embrace.

As if he'd joke.

"That was the GM of the team there," he explained. "He said he would have called sooner, but he was fighting with a couple other GMs over me."

"Of course he was!" she chirped happily, making him laugh. "Oh my God! You have to call everyone! Jamie, and your dad. And Luke!"

"Baby, calm down," he said with a chuckle, pulling her back into his arms. "I just...need a bit of time to process this."

"Aren't you excited?" she asked, moving away from him to look into his eyes. They were sparkling like they always did when he was feeling too many emotions for his heart to handle. She was happy that she'd seen that look before.

"I'm...I can't even..." he stuttered. His hands trailed down her arms and he wove their fingers together. "I did it, Peyton."

She could only nod, because she felt the tears coming to her eyes, and when she looked to the ground, he tilted her chin up with his index finger and kissed her chastely on the lips. The tears spilled over, and he wiped them away as he smiled down at her.

"I love you so much," he said softly.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"Stop crying," he insisted with a smile, making her laugh weakly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just..._So_ proud of you, Nathan," she said, placing her hands on his hips. "And this dinner smells _amazing_."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," he said, moving away from her and turning back to the stove. "Because I really, really hate losing."

"You should just trust me on all things hockey. Stick to basketball, baby," she teased, wrapping her arms around him from behind. She rest her cheek against his shoulder blade and felt him chuckle against her.

He would definitely stick to basketball. That was guaranteed now.

"You gonna be attached to me all night?" he asked, running his hand over top of hers.

"You gonna complain about it?" she asked, pulling away from him, only to have him drape his arm around her shoulder and force her to curl into his side.

"Not at all. But you know," he started in a low voice, turning so she was pinned between him and the counter, "you could do something for me. I mean, since I made the team."

Her arms made their way around his neck as he placed kisses along her collar bone.

"Such as...?" she tempted, tilting her head to the side and melting into him a bit. Suddenly, she really didn't care about dinner at all.

"Such as," he said between kisses, "your end of the bet."

"Mr. Scott," she purred in mock surprise, toying with the hair at the back of his neck with one hand, and grabbing a fistful of his shirt in the other. He groaned against the hinge of her jaw upon hearing her call him that. "What about dinner?"

"I'll be fast," he promised, pressing his hips to hers and making her let out that sound he always loved.

"You're never fast," she countered, making him smirk against her lips as he kissed her.

"You gonna complain about it?" he said, repeating her words from minutes earlier as he slipped his hands beneath her shirt.

She took a deep breath and locked eyes with him as he waited for the answer he really didn't need. She bit her bottom lip subtly and looked at him through her eyelashes, shaking her head as she began undoing the button of his jeans.

"Not complaining," she whispered before he kissed her again.

Things quickly became even more heated, and when she pulled his tee shirt over his head, revealing that incredible body of his, she pushed him away with the palms of her hands on his chest, and began walking away.

"Are you kidding me?" he grumbled.

"Are you coming?"

She raised an eyebrow as she said the words, letting him know that what he deduced from that question - however many ways he was interpreting that - all of them were true.

"Fuck yes," he answered, looking away from her only to switch off the stove.

She giggled as she started towards the stairs, and the sound turned into a moan when he walked up behind her and pressed his body against hers, kissing her neck as they walked.

----

By the time they actually sat down to their dinner, it was nearing 8:30. He was wearing just a pair of red basketball shorts, and she had pulled on one of his button-downs with just her underwear. It had been hard to let her leave the room, no matter how hungry he was.

He knew he had calls to make and people to see, but he was kind of liking the evening with her to celebrate and let everything sink in before talking to everyone else. So as they talked over dinner, he told her that he'd go see Jamie the next day before the boy left for school, and then stop in to see Lucas, Deb and then Dan later in the day. He had it all sorted out, and they could move on to lighter topics.

"You know what's not fair?" Peyton asked with her eyes narrowed, pointing her fork at him accusingly. "You lost the bet, but you got to...collect...first."

"Sorry, baby," he said with a prideful smirk and a shrug of his shoulders.

"No you're not," she said, making them both laugh. "But this dinner really is amazing."

"Oh yeah? Does it make make up for 'collecting' second?" he teased, taking her hand.

"Actually, I have to admit, I didn't mind having to give in first," she said with a smile, taking a sip of her wine.

"Oh, I could tell," he mumbled in a low voice. She just shook her head at him and propped her foot up on his chair next to the outside of his thigh.

Concentrating on things would be far, far easier if her boyfriend wasn't so damn sexy.

He knew, by the way she was looking at him, that if he didn't stop saying things like that, they wouldn't make it through their meal. And if she didn't stop looking at him like that, they wouldn't make it through either.

"Stop it," he commanded.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"That!" he laughed, taking in every little detail about every little thing she was doing. "That sexy eye thing with the little smile and the...NO! Don't you _dare_ bite your lip."

But when had Peyton Sawyer ever followed anyone's orders?

And so when she moved to coyly reach for her wine glass, he stopped her and tugged the collar of the shirt she was wearing, and brought her in for a searing kiss.

"OK, I'll stop," she said against his lips as he brushed them against hers once more.

"Uh uhn," he mumbled. "Don't stop now."

"Nathan, we're in the middle of dinner," she said with a laugh, pushing him away gently.

"You started it," he pointed out seriously.

"I know I did." She watched as his head rolled back and he let out a groan. "But I'm going to finish my meal first."

"And then you'll finish me?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

She just dropped her jaw in shock as she shook her head. He was _the_ most arrogant guy sometimes, and if she didn't know him so well, she would have almost been offended. But the reality was that that's what she loved so much about him. He was self-assured and confident, and just so perfectly _Nathan_.

Not to mention, he looked so happy and relieved and somehow more relaxed and lighter, having gotten the news that he'd made a team.

"I love you," she said, turning back to her meal.

"Wow," he laughed.

"What?"

"I make a _really_ out there innuendo and you tell me you love me," he said, smirking as he rest an elbow on the table.

"Nathan?"

"Hmm?"

"Stop talking," she insisted quietly, laughing when he held his hands up in surrender.

They were quite for a few moments, just enjoying their meal, which was, if he could say so, pretty amazing. He'd have to thank his mom for that later.

It hadn't quite hit him yet that he'd made a team. And it was the one he'd wanted to make, too, being that it was so close to home, and also the second place team in the league at the moment. He knew it would still be an upward battle; fighting for a roster spot and proving himself all over again. But this was the start, and it was a confidence boost he needed.

Peyton dropped her fork onto her plate and ran her hands through her hair as she smiled, and he had to question what was going on in that head of hers.

"What?"

"I just...I _can't_ _believe_ it," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, I can believe it because you're amazing, but I just...It's all so...God, Nathan, you're _playing_ again."

"I know," he said softly.

"You realize that this is incredible," she stated. "Last year, you were in a _wheelchair_."

"I know."

"And you just...you did it," she said, reaching for his hand.

"I know."

She just laughed, because she could tell he hadn't really processed it yet. She knew he was excited and happy, but she knew that he didn't really believe it yet.

"How are you feeling?" she asked seriously.

She watched the smile break on his lips as he ran his thumb over the inside of her wrist. He looked down at their hands, and he realized that the only thing that would ever make him even happier, would be if the hand he was holding was wearing his ring.

But it was too soon for that, and he knew it.

But eventually...

"I've got everything," he said softly, meeting her eyes again as she smiled.

"Me too," she whispered.

"Yeah?" he asked, though he knew the answer.

"Yeah," she insisted, nodding her head.

"How did...How did we get here?" he asked, almost bewildered.

When he thought about it, it was all surreal. The way their lives had turned out, with so many twists and turns and broken hearts and hardships, it was kind of amazing that they were both still standing. Still standing and _happy_. It was almost hard for him to imagine a time when he didn't have her; when he wasn't with her. He knew that, had they stayed together when they were younger, things would have been completely different. He knew their separate paths were necessary to make them the people they were - to make them perfect for each other.

"Funny how life works out," she mused, reading his mind.

He just nodded and leaned forward again to kiss her.

And he realized he'd never get sick of kissing her.

Maybe it was too soon to be thinking of forever. But he still was thinking of forever.

And it all centered around her.

----

Jamie was excited. Nathan told him the next morning, and Haley stood there, bringing her hand to her mouth when she heard the news. She almost cried. She knew how hard Nathan had worked and how much it meant to him. She threw her arms around him and congratulated him like any friend would do.

The little boy couldn't stop asking questions. He wanted to go to every game and watch practices and get a jersey with his name and number on the back. Nathan told him that the first game he played would be in a week's time, and that Nathan had special seats reserved just for them.

Dan had smiled a genuine, proud, fatherly smile. He hugged Nathan, then Peyton, and they all talked about practice schedules and game days, and Nathan said that he had a ticket set aside for his 'debut' game. Dan had pursed his lips and said thank you, knowing that he was finally back in Nathan's life for good. Peyton thought she saw a hint of a tear in the man's eye, and that didn't surprise her in the least.

Lucas and Lindsey were thrilled, naturally, and Lucas said he expected complimentary seats to all games, and a shout out to the Ravens in any on-air interviews.

Brooke squealed and threw her arms around Nathan, telling him that he'd finally lived up to her 'Superstar' nickname for him.

His first practice was on a Saturday when he had Jamie, so the boy stayed with Peyton while Nathan went to 'work'. They both wished him good luck, and he kissed both their foreheads at the door before driving away.

"Alright, Jamie," Peyton said, looking down at the blonde as she rest her hands on her hips. "Time to get dressed."

"What are we doing today?" he asked as they started up the stairs.

"Well, I was thinking that we could call your mom and aunt Brooke and see if they wanted to come over," she said, glancing at him to gauge his reaction. All she saw was a smile.

"And do what?" he asked.

"Anything!" She stepped into his bedroom behind him and walking to the closet to pull out some clothes. "This one?" she asked, holding up a tee shirt, and tossing it to him when he nodded.

"Anything?" he asked.

"Anything," she confirmed with a laugh.

"But you just talk about daddy and Chase all the time," he pointed out, making her chuckle.

"Well, maybe we won't do that today," she offered. "Maybe we'll order some pizza for lunch from our favourite place, and...I don't know...Make cookies or something."

"Cookies!" he cried excitedly.

"OK, get dressed," she insisted with a chuckle. "I'll go call your mommy and Brooke."

"OK!"

"And brush your teeth," she said seriously, watching as he groaned and rolled his eyes. "Promise me."

"I promise," he grumbled.

She laughed again as she tugged the door closed behind her and headed back down the stairs. She was kind of getting comfortable with what Nathan referred to as the 'almost mom' thing. She still wasn't trying to replace Haley - she knew she never would, and didn't want to - but Jamie listened to her, and they got along, and she loved him. She already kind of thought of him like a son. She hadn't told anyone that, not even Nathan.

"B. Davis," Peyton greeted when Brooke picked up. "What are you doing today?"

"Nothing," Brooke said nonchalantly. "Chase is getting in some hours in the air...Or whatever he calls it. Anyway, he's flying. So...I'm not doing anything."

"You want to come over and make cookies with me and Jamie?" Peyton asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hell yes!" Brooke cried.

"OK," Peyton laughed. "Could you call Haley?"

"I'll just pick her up."

"You don't even know if she's around!"

"Yes, I do. I called her earlier and she was grocery shopping. We were going to meet up later anyway," Brooke said.

"OK. I'll see you in a bit. I hear little footsteps, so I've got a boy to entertain for a while," Peyton said.

"You are so freaking maternal," Brooke scoffed.

"What?" Peyton asked with a laugh. And how had Brooke known exactly how she was feeling.

"You love that kid," Brooke stated.

"So do you!"

"But you are like...It's just different," Brooke said simply. "And you know it."

"Yes, I do. Now get off the phone and go get Haley," Peyton instructed, changing the topic.

"Alright! Bye!"

Peyton hung up the phone just as Jamie climbed up onto the stool at the counter in the kitchen.

"I brushed," he stated before she could ask. She just laughed and nodded her head. Maybe she _was_ getting the hang of this 'almost mom' thing.

"Good." She reached into the cupboard for a recipe book, leafing through the pages. "What kind of cookies do you want?"

"Umm," he said pensively. "What's daddy's favourite?"

"Peanut butter," she stated.

And something so simple as that made her realize just how well she knew Nathan. She could answer such a trivial question without missing a beat. Something about that spoke volumes about her relationship. And what made her even happier, was knowing that he would have been able to do the same thing.

"Let's make those!" he said with a smile.

"OK. Well, why don't we wait till Brooke and Ha...your mom get here," she said, laughing off her slip up. "We'll have lunch, then make cookies, and that way, when dad gets home, they'll be fresh out of the oven."

"You're smart," he observed.

"Well, thank you."

They talked for a while, waiting for Haley and Brooke, about Nathan's practice, both wondering how it was going and what Nathan was doing. Jamie spoke of basketball and plays just like Nathan had as a young kid. She could remember him on the playground, talking to she and Brooke like the two girls should care about the sport as passionately as he did.

When Brooke and Haley stepped through the door, all they heard was laughter coming from the kitchen.

"Well, well!" Haley cried out, hugging her son from behind. "Looks like someone's having fun already."

"Peyton thinks daddy is beating everybody on his team," Jamie stated.

"And you don't?" Brooke asked, taking the seat next to him.

"Yeah, but she doesn't know as much about basketball as me," he laughed.

"Hey!" Peyton cried. "I do too!"

"Honey, you're talking to three cheerleaders," Haley pointed out seriously. "We _know_ about basketball."

"Do you think they dunk in practice?" he asked, seemingly accepting his mother's comment.

"I don't know. Probably," Peyton said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Can we _not_ talk about basketball?" Brooke asked seriously. "Or flying airplanes, or running record labels and clothing companies?"

"What else is there?" Haley asked with a laugh. "This is Tree Hill. That's pretty much all we've got."

They all laughed again, because it was kind of true. If you took all those subjects from the conversation, they weren't left with much.

"Can we order pizza now?" Jamie asked.

"Oh my God, I'm starving," Peyton said desperately, reaching for the phone to dial the number posted on the fridge.

She placed their order while Brooke and Haley talked to Jamie, turning her attention to them again when she'd hung up the phone.

"So, making cookies huh?" Brooke asked with a grin. "I thought that was more of a 'Leyton' thing."

"I swear, that stupid book...," Peyton said with a laugh.

"What's a Leyton?" Jamie asked curiously.

"Oh God," Peyton groaned, as Haley and Brooke laughed.

"Well," Haley started, "you know how your aunt Brooke is crazy?"

"Hey!" Brooke cried.

"Uh huh," Jamie said.

"Hey!!!" Brooke turned to Jamie and glared at him, making him giggle.

"Brooke likes to make up a lot of funny names for people. So she called your uncle Lucas and Peyton 'Leyton' when they were dating. Like a mix of their names," Haley explained.

"What was your nickname?" he asked.

"Tutor girl," Haley said fondly.

"What about daddy?"

"Superstar. Boy toy. Jacka..." Brooke rattled off.

"Brooke!" Peyton cried, making Haley smile at her appreciatively.

"What's a boy toy?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"You know what?" Peyton asked. "Question time is over."

The three girls all laughed again, leaving Jamie very confused. He didn't understand girls, and he didn't know how anyone could.

They managed to eat an entire extra large pizza between the four of them, each of the women making Jamie promise not to tell anyone they'd done it. He didn't know why they'd asked, but he agreed to keep it a secret.

Then they started in on cookies. Brooke and Haley teasingly watched Peyton each time she measured anything, making her roll her eyes at them and threaten Lucas with bodily harm for writing about her 'mishap' with the salt. Her culinary skills had improved drastically, and she promised herself that the next time they had Lucas and Lindsey over for dinner, she'd bake chocolate chip cookies, just to prove to them all that she could.

They made two batches, for some reason, and soon, nearly every surface in the kitchen was covered with either dirty dishes, or cookies cooling on wire racks.

Jamie had eaten a few too many, and so when Brooke turned up the radio as a song she loved came on, she insisted that he move to the music with her to get rid of some of his excess energy.

When Nathan walked in, Haley was sitting at the table, laughing at her son, Brooke had her arms in the air as her hips moved to the music, and Jamie was was wearing a little apron, dancing with Brooke in the kitchen.

"Oh my God, _what_ are you doing to my son?" Nathan asked, semi-seriously, moving over to where Peyton was standing at the counter.

"We're making you your favourites," Peyton said softly, for only him to hear as the other two women focused on Jamie.

"You're my favourite," he said in a low voice, leaning over to speak into her ear.

"You want a hot cookie?" she asked.

She saw the glimmer in his eye, letting her know that he was about to turn that into an innuendo.

"Don't," she demanded.

"What?" he asked with a laugh, though he knew he'd been caught.

"Eat this and be quiet," she insisted with a smile, handing him a cookie. That glimmer came back and he raised an eyebrow, making her hiss his name and tell him to behave.

He took a bite of the cookie and made a sound in appreciation of how good it was. He knew better than to make a joke about her baking skills, knowing she'd probably already gotten enough of that from the two other women in his kitchen. And clearly, the cookie was proof, though by now he didn't need it, that she was actually really great in the kitchen.

"Daddy! How was it!" Jamie asked excitedly.

"It was great," Nathan insisted. "I'm not a starter or anything, but I'm on the team."

"And that's what matters," Brooke insisted seriously, smiling at him.

"That's right," Haley concurred.

And again, Nathan had to ask himself how he got so lucky. He was standing next to Peyton, who had her arm resting on the counter behind him, just barely grazing his back, and to incredibly wonderful and brave women in his kitchen, supporting him in everything. He had an amazing son who, albeit was a little bit of a goofball at that moment, was more than he could ever ask for.

Haley and Brooke left about an hour later, and after Jamie was in bed that night, Peyton brought a few more cookies upstairs for him to eat while she straddled his back and rubbed his shoulders, as was their tradition after a tough practice or workout. He made a crack about enjoying the fresh baking and massage, and how he definitely wouldn't complain if he had that to look forward to every day.

"You know this is it, right?" he asked seriously after a while.

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"You and me," he clarified. "This is it for me."

She moved off him and lay down next to him, and he wasted no time moving so he was laying on top of her. He gently brushed the hair from her temple as he gazed down at her, still - always - in awe of how stunning she was.

"You're it for me," he repeated, making her smile.

"Good," she said softly. "Because I can't even...I don't want to think about not being with you."

"You don't have to," he insisted. "I promise."

She'd heard a lot of promises in her life. Heavy words and phrases from a lot of different people.

That was the only one she ever _really_ believed.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** I'm going away for the weekend - leaving for Edmonton tonight - but I wanted to give you an update before I left. I just couldn't leave you hanging until Monday!

**----**

It was the night of Nathan's first game, and no one could figure out who was more nervous, him, or Peyton. Brooke, Peyton, Haley and Lindsey were driving in Brooke's SUV, while Jamie rode with his uncle Lucas and Chase, all three of them claiming they didn't want to be around the girls.

"Peyton, honey, you need to breathe," Brooke said, taking her eyes off the road momentarily to glance to the passenger seat.

"I'm sorry!" Peyton cried. "God, Haley, how did you do this? Lindsey, how do you be supportive of all Luke's stuff without going crazy?"

"It's all about hiding the crazy," Lindsey said seriously. "I grind my teeth when I'm nervous, so I chew gum on game nights, or book tours."

All the girls laughed at that little secret, and Peyton felt a lot better knowing that she wasn't the only one who felt the intense nerves over something she had no control over.

"And I honestly never really worried about Nathan," Haley said. "I mean, he's the most well-prepared athlete around."

"I know that," Peyton said, nodding her head.

"Sweetie, my boyfriend flies _planes_," Brooke said. "I know a thing or two about quelling nerves."

"Honestly, we've got some pretty great problems," Haley mused. "Famous writers, and ball players and aspiring pilots..."

"I just want him to do well," Peyton said, downplaying the weight that statement held. "He said he doesn't even know if he'll actually play."

"He'll be playing," Lindsey insisted. "They'd be stupid not to play him."

"Well obviously _we_ think so!" Brooke observed. "We're such fangirls for him!"

They all started laughing again, knowing that statement was totally true.

Lucas had stopped to get Jamie ice cream. Well, ice cream and some candy. What could he say? He was powerless to the Jamie Scott puppy dog eyes. What he hadn't expected was that Chase would give him the same eyes, and he'd end up buying an ice cream cone for the grown man in the passenger seat as well.

"Do you think daddy's going to play?" Jamie asked after a while.

"I don't know, buddy," Lucas answered honestly. "It's his first game."

"He doesn't think so," Jamie said sadly.

"Well, either way, you know he's still the best guy on the team," Lucas said with confidence, looking in the rear view to see Jamie nod.

"I feel like such an outsider," Chase said with a laugh. "All this basketball stuff is totally out of my depth."

"Well, just cheer when our team scores and you should be OK," Lucas laughed.

"I know how it works," Chase said indignantly. "You Scotts are just...all basketball, all the time."

"We sure are, right Jamie?" Lucas asked with a smile, glancing to the rear view.

"It's in the blood," Jamie said seriously, making both the older men laugh, and Lucas shake his head. Clearly the boy had been told that very thing by his father.

"Well...I'm a pilot," Chase pointed out childishly, making Lucas laugh and Jamie roll his eyes.

"A pilot-in-training," Lucas corrected.

"I take my final test next week," Chase admitted quietly.

"Seriously?" Lucas asked. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah. I'm nervous though. I haven't even told Brooke."

"Oh dude, you can't keep secrets from her," Lucas warned.

"You should know," the brunette teased with a laugh. Lucas threw him a playful scowl before he continued. "You just know how she is. She'll get all crazy and nervous, and that won't help."

"Totally," Lucas said knowingly. "My wife grinds her teeth. I have to buy her a pack of gum every game day so she doesn't drive me nuts."

Chase laughed before coming to a very simple realization.

"You know, if the biggest problem we have is that our women are so incredibly supportive, I think we're doing alright," he mused.

Lucas let out a laugh and turned to Chase to nod his head in agreement. That certainly wasn't a bad problem to have at all.

----

Nathan's team was up by eight at the half, and Peyton slipped away from her group of friends, promising to return, when she saw Dan sitting not too far away from them; just far enough that it wouldn't upset Lucas, and Jamie wouldn't see him.

But Peyton wanted to say hi. In the weeks since he'd been working with Nathan, she'd obviously come to learn that the man had changed in a lot of ways, and though she still harboured a few ill feelings over his past actions, she wouldn't hold that over his head, though she knew she probably had every right to.

She waved to him and pointed to the exit, and he stood from his seat to meet her on the concourse.

"Hi Peyton," he said with a smile.

"Hey Dan," she replied.

"How are you holding up?" he asked knowingly, chuckling when she let out a dramatic sigh.

"I'd be better if they'd bring him in off the damn bench!" she said with a laugh.

"They will," he said with confidence.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"Because he's _Nathan Scott_," he said simply, making her laugh again.

"You know? That might be the best explanation," she said with a nod of her head. "Listen, why don't you come over for dinner tomorrow night? I'm cooking."

"Can you cook?" he asked teasingly, his own version of the Scott Smirk playing on his lips.

"Better than Nathan can," she insisted, making him chuckle.

"I'd love to, Peyton," he said sincerely. "Thank you."

"Alright," she said with a smile. "6:00-ish."

"I'll see you then."

Peyton walked away feeling happy that she'd extended the invite to Dan. She and Nathan had talked about it the day before - having Dan over - and Nathan had been, maybe not surprisingly, on board with the idea. He admitted that it was nice to have his father back in his life, and that Dan was finally _acting_ like a father. He had no complaints or trepidation over their newfound relationship, and he loved that Peyton was the one to bring it up. She knew him well enough to know that he was comfortable with his father, and he knew she felt the same. Dan had given them no reason, since reconnecting, for them to believe that he didn't have the best of intentions, so they'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

Nathan came off the bench in the second half, and played 11 amazing minutes. He ran the court and controlled the tempo, and scored 15 points to help his team secure the win. He was incredible.

Jamie was far too excited and loaded with sugar, and Lucas was proud, and everyone else was just _happy_. At one point, after the final buzzer when almost every fan in the building was standing and cheering the team for the win, Peyton almost felt tears form in her eyes. She wondered, for a moment, when she became that girl, before realizing that it didn't really matter. She just wanted him to succeed, and he had, and she knew how thrilled he'd be.

They'd agreed beforehand that Peyton would wait and drive home with him, and everyone else would head home. Brooke and Lucas were arguing playfully over who should drive whom, with Lucas insisting that it didn't make sense for Jamie and Chase to go with him. Brooke claimed she wanted more girl time, and he told her she could get it another time; Lindsey was going with him, and Chase, Haley and Jamie were going with her.

He should have known he'd lose that argument.

Peyton laughed and asked him how he hadn't learned yet that Brooke Davis always got her way.

They all said goodbye to Peyton and for some reason offered congratulations, and she watched as they walked away with Lucas hoisting Jamie up and over his shoulder, making all the girls nervous enough to scold him for it.

Peyton waited in the empty gym for Nathan to emerge from the team dressing room, and when he finally walked toward her with his bag slung over his shoulder, she broke into a wide grin and walked toward him.

"Hey," he said nonchalantly, though he couldn't hide his grin.

He laughed when she threw her arms around him, making him wrap his around her waist before she leaned up to kiss him.

"You were amazing," she insisted.

"I was OK," he corrected seriously, making her scoff. "You always think I'm better than I am, baby."

"That's my job," she laughed. He let her go, but draped his arm around her shoulder as they walked toward the exit. "Do you know how amazing it feels to see you doing your thing?"

"Kind of like when I get to see you giving it to label reps and working with your artists?" he offered.

"OK, really?" she asked, stopping and standing in front of him. "90% of the time, you're so cocky I can barely stand it, but right now I'm trying to give you compliments, and you're being all humble."

"Because now there's actually something to compliment," he said timidly, smiling when she shook her head. He still had the power to surprise her with his vulnerability, and she adored that.

"You are something else, Nathan Scott," she said softly, right before she kissed him.

"Now," he said once they'd started walking again, "let's discuss how my cheerleader girlfriend is going to reward me for the win..."

----

Over a week, and two of Nathan's games later, Peyton was working at her office, recording with her newest artist and generally pushing herself too hard again. When Nathan tried to broach the subject with her, she got angry and it started a little argument that was resolved really quickly when he told her that he just wanted to keep her healthy. How could she stay mad at him when he was just concerned? It didn't help that he was also right.

So when she called him that day to tell him that she was having a rough day, he could tell from the tone of her voice that she was almost at her breaking point. Apparently she had an idea about how a particular song should sound, and her artist had a completely different idea, and both of them were too stubborn to give an inch.

He was on his way home from practice, and he stopped to pick up a latté for her from her favourite coffee shop before making his way to Tric to visit her.

He walked into the office to see Rebecca, Peyton's assistant, buried in paper work and typing away at her computer. It was clear that she was just as busy as Peyton was.

"Hey," he said, setting the drink he'd bought for her on her desk.

She was a sweet girl, and she was incredibly organized and helpful to Peyton, and he genuinely liked her. He also knew how she took her coffee, and that if Peyton was busy, Rebecca was busy. He figured she could use the pick me up.

"Thank you!" she sighed dramatically, wrapping her hands around the paper cup. "She's in the studio."

"How's the mood?" he asked gently.

"Not bad if you're someone other than Ryan," Rebecca said, wincing over the arguments she'd witnessed already that day.

"What's this guy's deal?" Nathan asked, shaking his head. "You'd think that if you scored a record deal, you'd be more willing to compromise."

"Ah, but artistic integrity," Rebecca countered. "Artists are artists because they take something simple in essence, like music or...or paint, and they use everything they have in them to make it their own, and..."

"OK, Peyton Jr.," Nathan laughed. "I get it."

"Look, if your coach told you to completely change the way you play _after_ you made the team, would you do it?" she asked.

"No, because why would they have signed me if they didn't like my style?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Exactly," she said with a smile, pointing her finger at him.

"So you're on Ryan's side?" Nathan asked with a smirk.

"Don't tell her!" Rebecca insisted. "And I think they could both stand to give a little bit and meet in the middle."

He just laughed and nodded, and took a deep breath to brace himself for whatever it was he was about to walk in on.

"Go ahead," she prodded. "I'm sure she'll be appreciative of whatever's in that cup."

"Thanks," he laughed as he walked towards the heavy soundproof doors separating the office and the studio.

Peyton had her eyes closed and her arms crossed, and she was bobbing her head to the song Ryan was playing and singing. She didn't hear Nathan come in the booth until he took her hand in his and wrapped her fingers around the paper cup.

"Hi!" she said in surprise. "And thank you."

"You're welcome," he said with a smile. "How's it going?"

"You like beating up musicians, right?" she asked hotly, running her fingers through her hair.

"If their names are Chris Keller, and they're trying to ruin my life," he said with a smile, draping his arm over her shoulder and kissing the top of her head. "That bad, huh?"

"No," she admitted regrettably. "I'm just tired and he's just worried about his work, and it's...it's just kind of what happens when two people are headed to the same place but don't have the same directions."

"Uh...OK," he said with a laugh, making her chuckle before leaning her head on his shoulder. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You sounded a little punchy on the phone."

"It'll be fine," she insisted, convince both of them at the same time. "But I love you for worrying about me."

"Really?" he asked teasingly. "I thought you loved me for my body."

"Usually, that's the case," she said, pulling away and looking up at him. "Occasionally, you're good for something else, though."

"Alright," he said with a laugh. "I'll leave you to it, but I'll see you at home later, OK?"

It was a simple act. He brought her a coffee and talked to her for not even five minutes, and already she felt relieved; like it would all work out. He hadn't even said those words - hadn't even hinted at them. But he just listened to her, and was concerned enough to let her talk to him as much or as little as she needed to.

"Nate," she called before he reached the door. He turned around to look at her in confusion. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being awesome," she said after a moment of contemplation.

He let out a chuckle as he grinned at her. "My pleasure."

----

The rest of Peyton's afternoon hadn't gone as smoothly as she'd hoped, and when she walked through the door, she kicked off her shoes violently and dropped her keys on the table in the foyer just a little too roughly. She let out a frustrated groan, trying to convince herself to just let it go and forget about all her work issues until she was at work again.

She sifted through the mail, noticing that three bills had come for her, and she dropped them on the table without opening even one of them. She shrugged off her sweater and threw it as hard as she could onto the stairs as she walked past, for no other reason than it felt good to take out her aggressions on something.

Nathan, having witnessed her actions from afar, was ultimately worried, but wanted to see that smile of hers first and foremost.

"I'd say I love you, but I don't want to get slapped," he said, holding up his hands as though surrendering.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

He walked over to her and pulled her against his chest, cradling her head as she took a deep and cleansing breath.

"How was your day?" she asked as she pulled away.

"No," he insisted with a scowl. "You don't get to come in here, pissed off and throwing things around, and then just act like you're fine."

"Nathan..."

"Talk to me," he said seriously.

He took her hand and led her to the kitchen, where he had dinner ready to be served and a glass of wine waiting. There were fresh flowers in a vase on the table and soft music was playing, and her amazing boyfriend had been thoughtful enough to put it all together.

"Thank you," she said softly, squeezing his hand before he gestured for her to sit at the table.

They spent the next hour and a half at the kitchen table, her sipping wine and ranting about her day, and him offering opinions and supportive words when they suited. She promised that she felt better after talking to him - that she always felt better after talking to him - and she kissed him and said thank you before running upstairs to change into her sweatpants.

He grabbed a blanket from the living room and grabbed her hand when she came back downstairs, and he said that it had been far too long since the two of them just sat on the porch swing together. Everything had been all basketball and music for weeks, and she had to admit that just sitting in the chilly night air with his arm around her sounded pretty damn amazing.

"I have news," he said after about 10 minutes of silence.

"What?" she asked with a furrowed brow, lifting her head off his shoulder to look at him. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You needed to vent," he said with a smile, kissing her quickly as she smiled.

"What's your news, then?"

"I'm starting tomorrow," he said, unable to keep himself from giving her one of those big, perfect smiles.

"What!?" she cried. "Nathan!"

She threw her arms around him, making him laugh. It wasn't the first time she'd done it - it seemed every time he had some sort of good news, she did the same thing - but he loved it every time. She was like an excited little girl, and the smile that accompanied the gesture was always amazing.

"So you might want to show up," he teased after she pulled away.

She'd been to every game so far, and she didn't intend on missing any. He knew that.

"I'll check my schedule," she said sarcastically. "This is so great! Why didn't you tell me today? It would have cheered me up!"

"I didn't want to just come in and be like, 'Hey, babe, you had a shitty day? I didn't!" he said seriously. "Timing is everything."

"I want to bring Jamie with me," she said after she was settled back into his side.

"What?"

"To your game," she elaborated. "Talk to Haley, but I want him to come with me. He should be there."

Every time she did something with regards to his son - something as simple as making a meal or laughing at a joke - his heart would swell. She was going to make an incredible mother, and he'd told her that before, but she kept inadvertently reminding him of it.

"You never cease to amaze me, Peyton Sawyer," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "I'll call Haley."

"Good," she whispered, leaning against him just a little further.

The way her left hand always rest on his thigh when she was sitting to his right always made his heart race a little bit. It was silly, probably, that such a simple and unconscious action had such an effect on him, but he adored the feel of her slender fingers on his leg. Peyton was all about the little subtleties when it was just the two of them. The way she brushed her hair from her eyes, or how she nibbled her bottom lip when she was concentrating on something. She'd wink at him across the dinner table when she caught him staring. She'd run her hand along his shoulder when he brought him a drink as he sat on the sofa. It was all those comfortable little things that she did without even realizing them, that made him fall desperately in love with her.

The doorbell rang, but neither of them wanted to get up. Nathan craned his neck to look through the window at the clock, to see that it was just after 8:00, and he and Peyton shared a look, trying to figure out who would be at their house.

"Out back!" he shouted. Peyton pulled away from him and looked at him disapprovingly and he shrugged his shoulders. "What? I didn't want to get up."

"I'd call you lazy if this body wouldn't prove me wrong," she said seductively, trailing her index finger down his chest.

"Easy," he warned with a laugh.

Lindsey rounded the corner and stepped up onto the porch, and the couple on the swing straightened up and, well, stopped flirting long enough to greet her.

"Hey," Nathan said with a smile. "What's up?"

"I'm bored!" Lindsey cried as she leaned against the railing of the porch. "And...wow, you two look adorable."

"That's all her," Nathan said, pointing to Peyton, who was rolling her eyes.

"Why are you bored?" Peyton asked, changing the subject.

"Luke and Skills are in my living room, watching game tape and arguing about triangle offense or...whatever," she explained, making Nathan laugh at her obvious lack of knowledge of the sport the guys all loved. "Haley and Jamie are working on a school project of some sort, and I called Brooke, but I heard Chase in the background, then she giggled and basically hung up on me."

"Ugh," Nathan groaned, pulling a face in disgust. "Brooke's never been discreet about her sex life."

"Nathan!" Peyton cried. "Don't talk about her that way!"

"You know I'm right," he pointed out seriously.

"And what does that say about _you, _Mr. VHS?" Peyton asked with a raised eyebrow, making him laugh. Lindsey looked on in confusion. Clearly, she didn't know _that_ story. "Come on, Linds, I think there's still some wine left."

"Hey!" Nathan said as Peyton stood up and dropped the blanket in his lap. "I thought we were hanging out."

"And then you insulted my best friend, so...now we're not," she said with a fake sweet smile.

"Thanks, Lindsey," he muttered.

"How is this _my_ fault?" Lindsey laughed.

"If you hadn't shown up, you wouldn't have mentioned Brooke, and then I wouldn't have made that comment, then Peyton wouldn't have brought up what has been dubbed the 'Brathan Sex Tape Scandal'."

"Whoa! _You_ and Brooke made a sex tape!?" Lindsey asked with wide eyes, putting the pieces together.

"I need wine," Peyton mumbled.

"Please_, please_ tell me this story," Lindsey pleaded as they stepped into the house, leaving Nathan shaking his head on the back porch.

He sat outside for a few minutes, hearing portions of the girls' conversation through the open door, and catching their laughter as Peyton filled Lindsey in on the story that they all assumed she would have known by then.

Then he realized that he would much rather talk basketball with the guys, than listen to the girls cackle about...whatever it was they were going to talk about.

He walked into the kitchen to see the two women sitting at the table with glasses of wine in front of them and smiles on their faces. He kind of liked the sight of that. He was going to marry Peyton someday, of that he had no doubt, and so these two women would be family. He loved that they had so obviously set aside their differences and formed a bond.

"I'm out of here," he announced, grabbing his keys and kissing the top of Peyton's head. "You do your thing. I'm going to see Luke."

"I didn't mean to chase you out of your house," Lindsey said seriously.

"No, no," he insisted. "It's fine. Have fun. Don't talk about me. I'll be back later."

Peyton smiled at him, and all three of them knew that he would probably be the main topic of conversation, despite his request. He slipped out the door, and when Peyton turned her attention back to Lindsey, she was met with a giddy smile.

"What?" Peyton asked with a laugh.

"You two!" Lindsey cried, like it was the obvious answer.

"What about us?"

"You are so..._right_," Lindsey pointed out seriously. "You're perfect for each other, and you're _so_ good together."

"We kind of are, aren't we," Peyton said, almost dreamily. "God, I shouldn't be this happy!"

"What?" Lindsey asked with a chuckle. "You _absolutely_ should be this happy! Peyton, you so deserve this."

And for some reason, when Lindsey spoke those words, the ones no one else had known she needed to hear, Peyton actually let herself believe them.

----

Peyton held Jamie's hand as they made their way to the seats at Nathan's game. They were in the 'special' section for friends and family of the team members, and Peyton felt a little odd that she was getting any special treatment. Of course, when she mentioned that to her boyfriend, he'd given her that cocky smirk and told her that it was just one of the many perks that come with being Nathan Scott's girlfriend.

Jamie was in his little jersey, clutching a soda in his hand, and a smile on his face. He was more excited than anyone that Nathan was starting, and the entire drive to Wilmington, he'd jabbered on about how many points his dad was going to score, and how he was going to be the star of the game. Peyton could only smile and laugh along with him, making guesses of her own about how great Nathan was going to play.

As they found their seats, Peyton noticed that the woman next to she and Jamie was struggling to juggle her bottle of water, purse, baby bag, and 6 month old, and Peyton felt she should lend a helping hand.

"Hi," she said after catching the woman's eye. "I can hold her for you if you like."

"Really?" the woman said gratefully.

"Sure. I'm not going anywhere," Peyton promised, glancing down at Jamie, sipping happily on his straw and watching the jumbotron.

"Thank you so, so much," the woman said, passing the baby to Peyton.

"Hi," she said to the little girl sweetly once the baby was settled onto her hip.

"This is Calleigh," the woman said, glancing at her daughter. "I'm Ella."

"Peyton," she said by way of introduction. "This is Jamie."

"Are you a wife?" Ella asked. Clearly she was one.

"Girlfriend. Nathan Scott," Peyton informed her, glancing to the court as her boyfriend came out for warmups.

"Mine's Jason Brandt," she said, pointing towards the man wearing number 18.

Nathan glanced into the stands and saw Jamie smiling widely and Peyton with a baby on her hip. He had to close his eyes and do a double take. His heart raced a little bit, he wouldn't lie. She looked like a natural, gazing down at that little girl and smiling. The only thing wrong with the picture was that it wasn't their baby.

He might just have to talk to her about that...

"My sister usually comes with me to games, so I'm not usually such a disaster," Ella said with a laugh as she organized all her things.

"To be honest, I'm kind of falling in love with your little girl, so I don't mind holding her at all," Peyton confessed, making Ella chuckle again.

They all got situated, but Peyton wasn't ready to let go of the little girl yet, so she sat with the baby on her lap while they chatted, and Ella explained that her husband had said that Nathan was one of the best ball players that he'd ever played with. They talked about both men until tip off, and Peyton handed Calleigh back to her mother. Peyton couldn't help but think she and Ella would actually be able to be friends. They'd already talked about sitting together at the next game, and this one wasn't even over yet.

Nathan scored 33 points, leading his team to a 84-72 victory, and leaving Jamie - and the rest of the building - excited when he'd gone in for a highlight reel dunk in the dying minutes of the game.

Nathan had caught a ride to the game with one of the players who lived in a town not far from Tree Hill, so that Peyton could drive his SUV with Jamie. It wasn't that he didn't trust her car to make the trip, he just trusted his a little more.

She and Jamie waited for Nathan on the court after the game, with Jamie doing his best to sink baskets on the ten foot goal, and Peyton laughing and cheering him on enthusiastically.

"Look, I just made the team. I don't need you stealing my spot, Champ," Nathan said with a smile as he made his way to the two blondes.

"Daddy!" Jamie shouted, running towards Nathan. Peyton watched on as Nathan hoisted Jamie into his arms. She found her heart melting a little bit at that word she'd heard so many times before.

"You were awesome," Peyton insisted, leaning up to kiss him quickly.

"Thanks," he said, pulling her back for another kiss, making Jamie let out a groan in protest.

Nathan laughed and set Jamie down, and let the him walk ahead of them towards the exit. Peyton tucked her hand into Nathan's as they followed the excited little boy.

"You look good with a baby in your arms," he whispered before kissing her temple.

And her heart melted a little bit more.


	27. Chapter 27

Nathan walked into the house on Saturday after his morning practice to hear some music he couldn't remember hearing before. It wouldn't have surprised him, but he had actually come to know a lot of Peyton's favourites. Classic rock and indie bands, and a few choice old school - and some newer - rappers. The day he'd come in to find her listening to Jay-Z's _The Black Album_, he thought he was going to lose his mind - it was one of his favourites, and she'd obviously listened to it before. To see her mouthing the words to _Encore_ was pretty much the sexiest thing in the world.

She was sitting on the sofa in the living room, seemingly just enjoying the music that filled the house. She smiled at him when she noticed him there, and moved the cushions so he could sit next to her.

"What are you up to?" he asked pointlessly. The look she gave him proved that it was a silly question.

"Solving world hunger," she said pensively. "Knitting a sweater, learning to..."

"OK, I get it," he said with a laugh, shaking his head at her. "Want some company?"

"Maybe. Who?" she asked with a smirk.

"God, you're like, _extra_ sarcastic today," he pointed out, making her shrug her shoulders innocently and smile at him sweetly.

"Sorry," she said as she dropped her hand onto his thigh. "I'm just listening, though."

"So I'll just watch you listen," he said, smiling at how simple a concept it was. "Who is this?"

"This would be Ryan," she informed him with a raised eyebrow. The singer had come a long way since Nathan first heard his rough demo.

"Seriously?" he asked with wide eyes. "Wow."

He watched as Peyton tipped her head back and closed her eyes, getting lost in the music like she always did. She was so gorgeous that it almost surprised him sometimes. He had to wonder how he found her. Again. He wondered, like he often did, why she'd given him a second chance. And, just like every time before, he realized that it didn't matter _why_ she did, it only mattered _that_ she did. And whatever her reasons were, they didn't matter as long as she loved him. Which she did.

Her hands were now clasped over her stomach, and all he could picture was her sitting in the same position, a baby resting with its head on her shoulder. A beautiful little girl, or a handsome little boy. Green eyes and dark hair, or blue eyes and blonde curls. It didn't matter. He just wanted that baby to be his. Theirs. And the more he sat there, watching her as she sat with her eyes closed and a little smile playing on her lips, the more he was itching to talk to her about the possibility of them trying for a baby.

When the chorus of one song ended with the words _'Say that you will'_, he took it as a sign.

"Do you want to have a baby?" he asked abruptly.

She opened her eyes so fast that it almost scared him.

"What? We already had this conversation ages ago," she reminded him, looking at him in total confusion.

"No, I know that," he said, turning his body towards hers a little more. "I don't mean like, hypothetically. I mean..."

"Nathan," she said quietly when his voice trailed, "are you seriously asking me this?"

"Peyton, when I saw you with that baby the other day, it was like...It was like it hit me that I _want_ that," he admitted. "I want a little girl with your green eyes and too much attitude."

"Are you sure?" she mumbled, making him laugh despite the serious nature of their conversation. "I...I don't really know what to say."

"Say yes," he said simply, looking at her with his best puppy dog eyes.

That was the moment she realized that he was being totally serious.

"I..."

"You don't want to," he stated, almost sadly. Maybe almost angrily. She couldn't really tell, but she didn't want it to be either.

"I didn't say that," she said calmly, placing her hand on his forearm.

"You didn't say yes, either," he mumbled.

He was like a little boy, told he couldn't have a new toy. And she hated that she was the one making him act that way. But he'd just surprised her with his question and his obvious longing to have a baby, and she didn't really know what to think about it all.

"Nathan, we aren't even married. We aren't even engaged!" she reminded him.

"That didn't stop my mom and dad," he said, and when she raised her eyebrow at him, he realized that wasn't the best example to give. "I just...want a baby. With you."

"And that's..._such_ a beautiful thing to think about," she said sincerely. "And it'll happen. Eventually."

"But why wait?" he asked almost urgently, taking her hand in his. "Peyton, we're adults. We're in love. We have all these empty bedrooms."

The smirk on his face almost had her giving in then and there. How was she supposed to say no to him when he was saying all these perfect things? He was so obviously excited and in love with the idea of having a child with her, and it was getting harder and harder to remember all her reasons why they should wait.

"Honey, I _love_ that you want to have a baby so badly. Really, I do," she said with a smile and soft eyes. He smiled back at her, despite not getting his way. Yet. "But...I really want to actually wait until you make an honest woman of me. I know it's rare in this town, but why don't we break the mold and actually have a _planned_ pregnancy?"

"That's why I'm talking to you about it," he said, flashing her that cheeky grin of his. "Instead of just...letting the Scott sperm work their magic."

"Nathan!" she squealed, swatting his arm as they both laughed.

"You don't think I could get you pregnant if I wanted to?" he taunted, pushing her back on the sofa and moving so he was on top of her.

"You wouldn't," she said, mocking seriousness.

"You don't know how badly I want a baby," he said with a smirk, running his hand lightly up her side and making her shiver. That only made him smile wider.

"Nathan, babies don't stay babies forever," she pointed out seriously. Well, as serious as she could be when his fingertips were dancing along the bare skin where he'd pushed her tee shirt up.

"So we'll make more," he said in a low voice, before kissing her neck.

She, almost reluctantly, wrapped her arms around his neck and got lost in him for a moment, until his hand crept between them to unbutton her jeans.

"Stop," she insisted. "Nathan...you can't just seduce me."

"Oh, yes I can," he said, smirking against her collar bone. They both knew he was absolutely right.

"No. I'm serious," she said, placing her hand on his chest and pushing him lightly. "I'm going to be afraid to have sex with you now."

He looked at her for a moment, as though trying to figure out if she was serious or not, and she laughed at the terrified look on his face when he though she might just be. He kissed her gently before pulling back a little more.

"I don't think this conversation is over," she said softly.

"Probably not," he agreed. "I didn't mean to ambush you."

"Nathan, you never have to apologize for telling me how you're feeling. But...did you really think I'd say yes?" she asked, though she didn't want to. It made it sound like she didn't want to have his baby, which was just _the_ furthest thing from the truth.

"Well, you haven't said no," he pointed out with a smirk.

"No...I'm saying some..."

"Someday," he sighed. They both cringed a little bit at that word.

She thought about that word, and how it had changed everything once before. She knew that Nathan wasn't the same, and he wasn't going to leave, and that he would be OK with 'someday'. That knowledge - knowing he'd wait if she wanted to - kind of made her not want to wait.

"So you really want to wait until we're married?" he asked needlessly.

"Yeah," she said, nodding her head. "I want our child to be planned and for us to be settled and secure. I want..."

"What?" he asked with a furrowed brow when she didn't finish.

"I want to be Mrs. Scott," she admitted softly, avoiding eye contact.

He looked down at her, ignoring the way her hands were playing with the button at the collar of his shirt. Somehow, those words from her lips, changed everything. It made it all the more real. She'd just mumbled the most perfect phrase. She wanted to be a Scott, and he wanted her to be a Scott, and so that's exactly what he'd make her.

"Marry me."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his and there was absolute shock there, as though she was trying to read him and if he had just said - and meant - those words.

"Wh...What?" she stuttered.

"Yes or no," he offered with a confident smile. He knew she wouldn't say no.

She briefly thought of that conversation she'd had with her father, where he told her in no uncertain terms that men don't ask the question unless they know the answer. Nathan was secure and self-assured, and while she would have loved to imply that he was only asking her to marry him because he wanted her to say yes to having his baby, she knew that wasn't the case. Deep down, she knew that he just wanted her to be his wife.

And she knew that she didn't want to waste time waiting for someday.

"Yes," she whispered.

It wasn't at all how either of them expected their proposal to go. He'd wanted there to be a beautiful ring, and flowers, and promises and maybe tears on both their parts.

But this was _them_ they were talking about. Nothing was perfect, not in the literal sense, but it was perfect for them. He was laying on top of her and her hair was a mess. She had on a plain tee shirt and a pair of jeans with holes in the knees that she only ever wore around the house when it was just the two of them. They'd just been joking and teasing each other, but somehow staying on very serious topics.

He obviously hadn't planned it. He had no ring, and he had no flowers, and he had no idea what made him do it, other than the overwhelming sense that it was just good timing. She wouldn't say no, and he wouldn't pretend it was an accident or play it off as a joke.

And there _were_ promises. Forever and babies and love that wasn't going away. Love they didn't _want_ to go away. There weren't tears, there were smiles.

When he leaned down to kiss her, she clung to the fabric of his shirt like she wasn't going to let go, and he wove his fingers together with her other hand.

He pulled away before they got too caught up in each other, and he saw that maybe she _was_ about to cry, so he kissed her again, which really only served to make her more emotional.

"I don't have a ring," he said regrettably, tracing the line of her jaw with his knuckle.

"I don't need a ring," she insisted, letting him wipe away the tear that had fallen.

"Like hell you don't," he countered, smiling down at her when she laughed. "Come on. We'll go right now."

"Uh uhn," she mumbled, pulling him back towards her and hooking her arm around his neck. "We need to practice making those babies."

He laughed and closed his eyes as her palm rest on his cheek.

"You really think I need the practice?" he challenged, dipping down to kiss her neck.

"Couldn't hurt," she said with a shrug, making him chuckle again. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Peyton," he said softly, pulling away so he could look into her eyes as he said it. "I love you so much."

The phone rang just as she'd pushed his shirt up over his head, and neither of them even acknowledged it. They didn't even consider answering. They had just gotten engaged, and if she was asking him to make love to her, he certainly wouldn't deny her. Not that he'd say no any other time, either.

The perfect ring could wait, and whoever was on the phone could wait. They didn't need anything but each other. And maybe it had been that way for a long time.

----

They had somehow made their way to the bedroom, though they shared a laugh trying to figure out just how they'd accomplished that, since they were so obviously blinded by each other. It was only mid-afternoon and they were laying tangled in their sheets and in each other, but Peyton mused that if ever there was a time to forget the world and spend an entire day making love, getting engaged was that time.

"Are you really gonna marry me?" she asked as she drew their initials on his bare chest.

"If you'll let me," he said, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head.

He grabbed her left hand and ran his thumb over her bare finger, and he realized that it was time to get his girl a ring.

"Get dressed," he said softly. "We're going to find you a ring."

"I really don't..."

"Stop it," he insisted, pulling away from her and shaking his head. "We're going."

"Is this what it's gonna be like when we're married?" she asked as he stood from the bed and pulled on his boxers. She sat up and clutched the sheet to her chest. "You bossing me around all the time?"

He walked back to the bed and pinned her to the mattress on her back, making her giggle at his antics.

"Most girls like it when their fiancées offer to buy them diamonds," he pointed out.

"Most boys come to their proposals prepared," she teased, making him laugh. They both knew that the ring wasn't what she wanted the most. She just wanted him and the life they'd build together.

"I figure you already had the perfect proposal, and..."

"Shut up!" she cried, swatting his chest as they both laughed. "This one was _so_ much better."

"Well yeah. You actually said yes," he said, pressing his lips to hers before she could say anything in response. "Now get dressed."

He stood up again and pulled on his jeans while she got up and walked, naked, into the closet for clothes. She heard him groan, which just made her laugh, and she grabbed a simple black cotton dress that she knew he loved. She pulled it over her head and slipped on a pair of black leather boots before pinning up her hair.

When she walked out of the closet minutes later, Nathan's eyes went wide and he looked at her in complete awe.

"OK, how did you do that?" he asked as he placed his hands on her hips and eyed her ensemble.

"What?"

"You took two minutes to...look like this," he pointed out, leaning down to kiss her.

"It's just a dress," she said with a shrug of her shoulder.

"Just a dress," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said softly.

Her stomach was fluttering like he'd never said something like that to her before. She knew this day was different, but if she felt those butterflies every time he complimented for the rest of her life, she'd be just fine with that.

"You ready?"

"Are you?" she asked. "Once there's a ring on this finger, there's no going back."

"That's exactly why I'm putting one there," he assured her, taking her hand in his.

He held her left hand in his the entire drive through town to the best jeweler he knew. That little gesture wasn't lost on her. When he parked the car, he turned to her and asked her again if she was ready, and she just smiled and nodded her head.

Neither of them had expected to run into his mother as they were walking down the sidewalk. Deb noticed Nathan glance toward the jewelry store, and her eyes lit up before any of them had said a word.

"Mom, not here," Nathan warned seriously, knowing she was about to freak out about the news they hadn't even spoken yet. "Not here."

"Nathan," Peyton admonished. "She's your mom."

"You don't have a ring yet," he said quietly, turning to Peyton.

"You didn't propose with a ring?" Deb asked, perhaps too loudly. "Oh my God! But you wouldn't be _here_ if she didn't say yes!" She gestured towards the store excitedly before pulling Peyton into her arms. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Deb," Peyton said sincerely as she wrapped her arms around her future mother-in-law. "If it makes any difference, we would have told you first anyway."

"Well, you better have!" Deb cried, releasing Peyton and grabbing her son into a bone crushing hug.

"OK, mom, we really...we need to..."

"Get your girl the perfect rock!"

"Something like that," Nathan laughed. "But thank you."

"Dinner this week! A celebration. We should have a party! I'll take care of everything!" she insisted.

"Mom, calm down," Nathan said with a smirk, draping his arm around Peyton's shoulder. "Don't say anything to anyone, OK."

"My lips are sealed, but..." her voice trailed and her chin started trembling, and Nathan rolled his eyes at her as Peyton let out an '_aww_' and pulled Deb into another hug. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you two."

"Thanks, mom," Nathan said, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"OK. Go buy a diamond," Deb said, shooing them away. "He has good taste, Peyton, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. I mean, look at his taste in women..."

"Mom!"

"Alright! Go! I love you. Both," she said sincerely.

"Love you, too, mom," Nathan said, taking Peyton's hand in his once more.

They watched Deb walk off down the street, with Nathan shaking his head until she'd turned the corner. Peyton just smiled up at him when he looked back to her.

"Sorry," he said softly.

"Are you kidding? You don't have to apologize," she assured him.

He kissed her quickly before pulling her towards the store and opening the door for her.

He could tell immediately that she was overwhelmed. The salesperson started asking a series of questions, and Peyton had no idea how to answer them. She didn't know what setting or style she wanted. She didn't even know her ring size. She glanced at Nathan and he, in true Nathan Scott fashion, stepped in with the most perfectly sweet suggestion.

"Why don't you just let me pick it?" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Your mom is right, you know?" she said with a smirk.

"That I have good taste?" he asked. "I know." She let out a laugh and rolled her eyes at that confidence that she actually loved. "Look, you just...hang out. I'll pick something perfect. But if you don't like it, we'll...try again."

"You're going to give me a mulligan on my engagement ring selection?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I am very impressed that you know what a mulligan is," he laughed. "Just...trust me. I should have done this alone anyway. You know, _before_ I asked."

"Nathan, you know I don't care about that, right?" she asked seriously.

She needed him to know that all the formality didn't mean anything to her. She actually loved how he'd asked. She knew that when they told their kids about how their dad proposed, their story would be a great one to tell.

"I know," he insisted. He leaned down to speak in a low voice into her ear. "_That's_ why I'm so in love with you. That, and you're fucking hot."

"Nathan!" she hissed, swatting his chest. "Don't swear in a jewelry store." He could only laugh at whatever logic he suspected might be behind that statement.

Peyton was led to a small room at the back of the store, filled with bridal magazines and ring catalogues, and she was brought Champagne to sip while Nathan spent time choosing a ring. She felt completely ridiculous at first, wondering why so many women loved this stuff. She really would have been just fine without a 'proper' engagement ring, but as the owner of the store explained to her, it wasn't about the ring. It was about what the ring represented. Promises and forever and never-ending love; perfect moments and histories that hadn't happened yet, but would, as a result of that ring. After that, she let herself relax a bit and enjoy the free Champagne and re-telling the story of their proposal. The more she thought about it, the more perfect that earlier moment felt.

She was pulled out of her little seclusion room a half hour later, and led back into the store. Nathan stood, leaning against the counter on his elbow with a black box in his hand and a smirk on his face. He opened the box as she approached him, her brow knit in that adorable way she did when she was happy and surprised.

It was a beautiful diamond ring. Antique style. A square cut diamond with slightly rounded corners and smaller diamonds surrounding it, set in platinum with diamonds on the band. It was perfect, and he knew as soon as he saw it that she'd love it. It wasn't too big or too flashy, but it felt like her, and the look on her face when she saw it confirmed that it was _her_ ring.

"Nathan," she whispered, meeting his eyes.

"You like it?" he asked needlessly.

"It's...Nathan..." That was the best she could muster as she tried to keep herself from tearing up yet again.

"Come on," he said, "let's see if it works."

He dropped to one knee in the middle of the store, making Peyton's face show complete shock as she glanced around at the people who were watching them with smiles on their faces.

"Nathan, get up," she hissed. That only served to make him smile wider. He just loved to make her blush like that.

"Peyton Sawyer," he started, taking her hand in his. "Will you marry me?"

"You already know the answer," she reminded him in a whisper, making him laugh.

He wouldn't stand, though, and she knew it. He wouldn't stand until she said the word he needed to hear, and when he raised his eyebrow expectantly, she rolled her eyes and smiled down at him.

"Yes."

He slid the ring onto her finger, then stood up and pulled her into his arms as the staff of the jewelry store clapped for them. Peyton may have mumbled that he was an idiot, but he just laughed at her. He figured she was either joking, or she was serious and he had a lot of years of hearing those little insults ahead of him. Either way, he didn't care.

"Kiss her!" one of the women called out, making everyone there laugh.

"Gotta give the people what they want," Nathan said with a smirk, pressing his lips to hers before she could say anything.

----

"You can't stop staring at it, can you?" Nathan asked, walking up behind Peyton where she stood at the counter in the kitchen.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to kiss the hinge of her jaw, and he kind of loved that he kept catching her looking at her ring.

After they left the jewelry store, they went home and called her father, then walked to Dan's and told him the news. Both men were thrilled for the couple, and claimed to have seen the engagement coming from miles away.

They had eaten a simple dinner together and sipped wine just like any other night. They both liked that they could just be...normal...after such a monumental day. But they both knew how important and special it was without making a big show of things. Even his little stunt in the jewelry store had her playfully reprimanding him in the car on the way home.

"It's just..."

"I know," he whispered, tightening his hold on her.

She was quiet for a moment as they stood like that, her hands over his on her stomach, both looking out the window at the tide coming in.

"You're worried about telling Brooke, aren't you?" he asked.

"Her. Everyone," she said with a laugh. "God, it feels like yesterday that we told them we were seeing each other."

"Well, we haven't exactly taken things slow, babe," he pointed out. "But it wasn't just yesterday."

"I'm more worried about Haley."

"And Lucas," he stated. She felt his posture change behind her, and so she turned in his arms and gave him an admonishing look.

"I don't care _what_ Lucas Scott thinks," she said in a tone that let him know she was serious.

"Well, that's nice," he laughed. "But since he's going to be my best man, his opinion kind of matters."

"So _you_ care what he thinks," she stated quietly.

"He's my brother, Peyton," he said with a shrug, his arms still wrapped securely around her.

"I know," she whispered.

"But, hey, if you want to just jet off to Mexico and get married, I am _all_ for that," he said, only half teasingly.

"Oh my God," she gasped. "We actually have to get _married_."

"Um...that's kind of the idea," he said, knitting his brow in confusion.

"No, I know," she laughed. "I just...we have to plan a wedding."

"If you go to Mexico, there are resorts that'll just do it all for you," he said enticingly, leaning down to press his lips to hers gently.

"Nathan," she pleaded, shaking her head.

"I know," he conceded. "I just kind of want to go to Mexico."

"Why Mexico?"

"Because...Mexico equals you in a bikini 24-7, and I've seen how you get when you drink tequila, and that'll _definitely_ work in my favour," he said with a grin, moving his hands up and down her sides.

"Well," she drawled, wrapping her arms around his neck, "maybe we could go there for the honeymoon."

"Mmm," he moaned, nodding slowly in appreciation. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about."

"Nathan," she said softly, glancing at his lips.

"Hmm?"

"Let's go upstairs before we have to face the real world again," she suggested as he brushed his nose against hers.

"I think I've heard that from you before," he said with a smirk.

"Come on, Scott," she said, pulling away from him and grabbing his hand. She walked backwards out of the room, his eyes traveling over her body in anticipation as she bit her bottom lip gently.

"Do I have to stop calling you Sawyer once we're married?" he asked once she'd turned around and he'd placed his hands on her hips again as he walked behind her up the stairs.

She stopped and turned around, and she was eye level with him, since she was one step higher than him. She didn't expect him to pull her against him, with his hands on her thighs so she could wrap her legs around his waist as he held her up.

"Once we're married, you can call me whatever you want," she growled.

She could only giggle when he muttered _"Oh my God"_, took a deep breath and started walking again.


	28. Chapter 28

Peyton woke up the next day to sunshine and a breeze coming through the balcony door. Nathan's hand was flat on her stomach as he lay propped up on his elbow looking down at her.

"'Morning," he said with a smile when he saw her eyes flutter open.

"Stop," she muttered.

"What?" he asked with a chuckle. She'd just woken up. Surely he couldn't have done something wrong already.

"Staring."

"Can't help it," he stated.

"I don't want to get out of this bed," she said, turning away from him and wiggling to get comfortable. He knew damn well she was going to fall asleep again, and he'd been waiting 20 minutes for her to wake up, and he wasn't about to let her go to sleep.

He placed his hand low on her hip, and pushed up the material of the tee shirt of his that she was wearing, skimming his fingertips up her side. He nuzzled himself against her neck, smirking when she let out a little noise.

"You don't have to get out of this bed," he murmured, low in her ear.

"Stop," she said for the second time that morning.

"No chance." His tone was husky, and she could hear the smile he was wearing, and those two little words had pretty much made her give in completely.

"What time is it?" she asked, letting him continue placing kisses along her neck and shoulder.

"Doesn't matter," he mumbled against her skin.

He was right, she realized. And so when he grinned roguishly when she rolled onto her back again and draped her arm around his neck, she kissed him before he could comment on her change of heart.

----

After they showered - together, upon Peyton's assistance, not that Nathan argued - she fixed them breakfast and smoothies before he had to leave for his practice. It turned out that it was far earlier than she had expected, and she scolded him for not letting her get more sleep, but he reminded her that she hadn't really done that much complaining at the time. Quite the opposite, actually.

He was taking Jamie with him to his practice, as had already been arranged earlier that week, and so he had told Peyton that he'd break the news to his son one on one.

"I'm going to Brooke's in a bit," she announced when he came back downstairs in his workout gear, with his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Not like this, you aren't," he said seriously, eyeing her ensemble.

She'd pulled on a pair of boy cut underwear and a tight tank top after their shower, and while he'd kind of loved her moving around their kitchen like that, he definitely wanted her to change immediately. They never knew who might stroll through their door.

"Oh, honey, she's seen me in less," she said seriously, laughing when his face changed to one of surprise.

"OK. Talking about _that_ later," he insisted with a raised eyebrow. "But...good luck. She'll be fine. She'll probably have the whole thing planned by the end of the day."

"That's kind of what I'm afraid of," she mumbled, making him chuckle.

He strode over to her and kissed her quickly, then told her he'd see her later. She watched him walk away, and she just shrugged her shoulders when he turned around and smirked at her. He always did know when she was checking him out.

Nathan picked Jamie up and Haley was running out the door as well, so he said a quick hello to her while Jamie climbed into his SUV.

Nathan hadn't really planned on having the serious conversation with his son in the rear view mirror, but when the boy started asking questions about where Peyton was and why she wasn't there, and what did they do the day before, he had to tell the truth.

"I have some news, Jamie," Nathan said. "Good news."

"What?" Jamie asked excitedly.

"Well, me and Peyton...we're going to get married," Nathan explained. He figured that any time he had news for Jamie, the boy saw through all the flowery language and cute phrasing anyway, so he might as well cut to the point.

"Really?!"

"Yeah," Nathan said, chuckling at his son's enthusiasm.

"That's so cool!"

"Really? You don't...?"

"No, dad, I don't think it's weird," Jamie said, using a mocking tone and playfully rolling his eyes. "So there's gonna be another wedding? Do I have to wear one of those scratchy suits again?"

Nathan just laughed again. His son was nothing if not perceptive.

"No. I mean...I don't know," Nathan said, realizing that he and Peyton hadn't really talked about the actual wedding much. "I'll keep you posted."

"Cool," Jamie said simply, nodding his head.

Nathan wanted to push the issue a little bit more, but he realized quickly that it was unnecessary to do so. Jamie was a vocal kid, and he would have said something if he had a problem with anything.

He really hoped that the rest of the people they knew would take the news so well.

----

Peyton walked through the door of Brooke's house to see her best friend toiling in the kitchen, as she was known to do. When they were living together, Peyton could have sworn Brooke was just taking things out of cupboards and putting them back. Brooke would just explain that she liked the kitchen, and it made her feel like she was accomplishing something to be there.

"Hey," Peyton greeted.

"Hey! I was going to call you and see if you wanted to come for coffee. That's so weird!" Brooke said with a smile as she buzzed around, filling the coffee maker and grabbing mugs.

"Yeah, weird," Peyton said, laughing nervously and perching herself on one of the stools at the counter.

"So do you remember Kendra? From high school? Well she's pregnant," Brooke started, divulging the latest gossip, as she and Peyton were known to do when they met up for girl time. "I swear, everyone I know is married and popping out kids. I mean, at least we have boyfriends, so we're not - hypothetically - behind the curve, right?"

She turned to look at Peyton for really the first time since she arrived, and Peyton hadn't realized that the way her hands were clasped in front of her on the counter didn't really hide anything.

"Brooke, I um...I have..."

"Oh. My. God! What the _hell_ is on your hand!?" Brooke cried. Her eyes were wide, and Peyton could tell that she was doing her best not to shriek.

"That's...what I was going to tell you," Peyton said, scrunching her nose as she waited for the onslaught of questions she was about to receive.

"Holy shit," Brooke said upon holding Peyton's hand up inspecting the ring. "Are you...Seriously? You're engaged?"

"Yeah," Peyton said softly, meeting her best friend's eyes as they both started tearing up.

"You're getting married," Brooke whispered.

"Uh huh," Peyton said softly.

Brooke's chin started to tremble and she pursed her lips the way she always did when she was trying not to cry. She scurried around the counter and pulled Peyton into a bone-crushing hug.

"You want to hear everything, don't you?" Peyton asked, making Brooke laugh.

"Every single detail. Start talking," she demanded.

Peyton told the whole story from start to finish. She thought of leaving out the part about Nathan wanting a baby pretty much immediately, but it was a vital part of the story, and she didn't want to keep anything from her best friend. Brooke laughed heartily when she heard that Nathan proposed mid-makeout, explaining that it sounded just exactly like him. She cried as she heard about the jewelry store, and took a closer look at the ring and both of them cried even harder, knowing that the ring was just perfect for Peyton, and that Nathan had chosen it so well.

"OK, I have to go," Peyton said after about three hours of girlish chatting. "Nathan's going to be home soon, and I want to know how Jamie took the news."

"He'll be fine," Brooke assured her. "That kid loves you." She paused for a moment and shook her head, still trying to wrap her head around the day's news. "You're really getting married."

"I know. It's..."

"Amazing," Brooke suggested.

"Yeah," Peyton sighed.

"I'm so happy for both of you, you know that," Brooke said sincerely. "And if Chase and I ever get engaged, he better pick out a ring as nice as that one."

"You're already thinking about marriage?" Peyton asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What? No! I just...I...OK, fine. I'm a girl. I'm dating a boy. Yes, I've thought about it," she finally conceded. They both laughed, knowing that's exactly what girls do when they're in relationships.

"Alright. I'll see you later," Peyton said, standing from her place. "I'll call you if I need you to do damage control with Haley. Or Luke."

"Whatever. They'll understand," Brooke assured her. "Now go home to your _fiancée_."

Peyton's stomach fluttered at that word. She hadn't used it yet, and it finally _hit_ her.

She was marrying Nathan Scott.

----

When Nathan dropped Jamie off at Haley's place, he went inside with the hopes of talking to her one-on-one about his engagement. He knew it was all fast, and that she had been great about everything, but he still really didn't know how she was going to handle the news. He wanted to sit down with her and explain the situation.

His son, however, had his own ideas.

As soon as they were inside the house, Jamie ran towards the stairs, but not before unceremoniously spilling the beans.

"Bye Daddy! Tell Peyton I don't want to wear that stupid suit at the wedding!"

Nathan grimaced as Jamie fled the room, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Haley standing before him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Wow," Haley sighed, her eyes going wide as she heard the news.

"Hales," Nathan said, shaking his head. She looked totally thrown off balance, and he hated that he'd been the one to do it.

"No, it's fine," she insisted, waving off his obvious concern. "It's just...I've been on three dates and you're getting _married_."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, realizing that he'd totally ambushed her and he should have talked to her that morning before he told Jamie.

"I'm sorry. I'm a dick," he said.

"No, you're not," she said firmly, smiling at him gently. "I'm just...going to need to take a little time and get used to this."

"I don't...I mean, I understand if you need time. I just don't want anything to change. Things are...good...between us, right?" he asked needlessly. "And I'm sure you'll find some musician guy soon enough."

"Very funny," she deadpanned, though she was smiling. "I think this town only ever had _one_ Jake Jagielski."

"You know, Peyton might still have his number, I could..."

"Get out!" she cried playfully, making them both laugh.

"Are we...are we good?" he asked seriously.

"We'll get there," she said, locking eyes with him. He knew that really meant that _she'd_ get there. "I'll...I'll be fine."

"If you...I mean, you can still talk to me, Haley," Nathan said sincerely. "If you have - I don't know - any...questions or whatever."

She could only smile, knowing that his words were genuine, and that he actually hadn't meant to drop the bomb that way. She knew he wouldn't intentionally hurt her. And it wasn't really a hurt, so much as it was a sting that she knew would go away. She'd talk to Brooke, and to Peyton, and to Lindsey, and she'd be alright.

"Nathan, we'll be fine," she said, knowing he'd mean all of them. Jamie and Peyton included.

"OK, well...I'll talk to you later," he said with a weak smile before turning and walking out of the house.

He was still cursing himself, no matter how much she tried to downplay her obvious discomfort. He was still thrilled about his engagement, and nothing was going to change that, but he didn't want his relationship with Peyton to come between her friendship with Haley. He knew they'd all had a rough couple years, and the last thing any of them needed was another rift in the group. The last one was still fresh in all their minds, and things were finally back to some semblance of normal.

The last person to tell was Lucas, and he really had _no_ clue how that was going to go.

----

When Nathan walked into the house, it was eerily quiet. It was unnerving, really. The house was never that quiet. Not really since Peyton had moved in had he come home to a silent house.

So he started worrying immediately.

He kicked off his shoes and dropped his bag by the door and hurried around the ground floor checking for signs of his girl. He rushed up the stairs, and he was two seconds away from shouting her name when he heard a string of curses coming from her office.

He made his way to the door and stood there, watching her appreciatively as she pushed papers around on her desk. He wanted to scold her for working on the weekend, but he couldn't, really. She did it all the time, and she usually only did little things to occupy herself.

"Hey," he said, pushing himself off the door frame and stepping into the room.

"Hi!" she chirped from her place. "What'd Jamie say!?"

"He's not wearing a tux," he said with a serious expression and his hands out in front of him, mimicking his son's intensity on the topic. She laughed loudly before he continued. "He's fine. He's excited. What about Brooke?"

"More excited than anyone. She cried. I cried. It was..."

"Exactly what I thought it'd be like when you told her," he said with a smirk, sitting down in the chair in the corner of the room.

"She thought it was awesome that it was spur-of-the-moment. She said since that's basically what our entire relationship has been, that it was fitting," she said, laughing when she saw his smile widen.

"It's kind of true," he nodded.

"She also wanted me to tell you that you did good with the ring," she explained, making him beam with pride.

He got quiet again and looked out the sliding doors at the ocean for a moment before bringing up what had been bugging him since he left Haley's.

"Haley wasn't...exactly cool," he said tentatively, fearful of her response.

"I kind of didn't expect her to be," she admitted, continuing when he looked at her questioningly. "I've done the whole 'deal with your ex getting married' thing. It's not easy."

"She said she'd be fine. Eventually," he said worriedly, shaking his head.

She moved to sit on his lap, adoring his obvious concern for their mutual friend. She draped her arm around his shoulder while his found her waist.

"She _will_ be," she assured him.

He kissed her gently, because he loved her for trying to reassure him. He just wasn't entirely convinced yet.

"I just didn't expect that, I guess," he said somberly.

"Nathan, how would you feel if she had gotten remarried before you?" she asked delicately, tilting her head slightly.

"I know," he said, nodding his head. He wouldn't have felt great. At all. "I just don't want her to feel that."

"And that's what makes you an amazing guy, Nathan," Peyton said, smiling at him when he let out a puff of air. "But she's still going to feel it, and you can't really do anything about it. You Scott boys have your hero complexes, but sometimes things just need to run their course, you know?"

"I guess," he mumbled.

"And besides, she's got her best friends and Jamie to help her," she pointed out.

He realized, then, that he hadn't been around for Peyton at all when she was dealing with her breakup with Lucas. Not when it first happened, and not when she came back to Tree Hill. He hated himself for that. He lived not 15 minutes from her when she lived at Brooke's, and he never made an effort to stop in and see her, or talk to her about how she was dealing with things. Sure, he had his own things to deal with at the time, but that shouldn't have stopped him from being a friend to her.

Peyton could see the wheels turning, and she knew exactly what he was thinking without him saying a word.

"Stop it," she scolded, though her smile stayed in place. "Don't."

"How did you...?"

"I know you, baby," she murmured. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips, and when she tried to pull away, he wouldn't let her. She couldn't say she really put up much of a fight.

When they finally parted, she leaned against him a little more and they watched the tide come in from their place in that chair in her office. It was a while before either of them spoke a word. He was wondering how to tell Lucas, and she was wondering if they should invite Lucas and Lindsey for dinner. When she suggested that very thing, he accused her of reading his mind, and she told him that would definitely come in handy once they were hitched. He then made fun of her for using the word 'hitched', and she glared at him as she moved off his lap.

She headed down to start in the kitchen while he made the call and grabbed a quick shower. When he finally made it down the stairs in jeans and a red polo shirt, the house already smelled like whatever amazing thing she was cooking, and she was on the phone, laughing at something or another as she moved around the kitchen.

"No, I know...Yeah, but we're happy, you know?...Yeah, for sure! Just let me know when...OK...I'll talk to you soon, then...Bye."

"Who was that?" he asked, startling her. She hadn't seen him walk into the room, so when she placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes, he walked to her and rubbed her back soothingly as he snuck a peek at what was on the stove. "Sorry."

"Don't sneak up on me!" she cried, swatting his chest.

"I didn't! You were on the phone!" he said in his defense. "Who was that?"

"Derek," she informed him with a fond smile.

"Oh, God," he muttered. "Scariest brother ever."

"Stop it. He's like a teddy bear," she scoffed.

"Like a grizzly!" he cried, hoisting himself up onto the counter as she shook her head. "A grizzly with sniper training and like...whatever else they teach you in the Marines."

"Stop!" she laughed, pushing his leg so he'd move it to allow her to grab something from the drawer he was blocking. "He's harmless. And he likes you anyway. He's happy for us."

"He's _not_ harmless," Nathan muttered under his breath. "And after he grilled me last time we saw him, I feel like..."

Shortly after Peyton had moved in, Derek had visited Tree Hill for a day. Not many people made Nathan Scott nervous. Derek Sommers was one of them. For whatever reason, he was totally anxious to spend time with Peyton's brother, and sure, the day had gone pretty flawlessly, but Nathan still felt that Derek was the terrifying big brother. She had to admit, she could see why the Marine thing would be a little intimidating.

"Nathan," she said with a raised eyebrow. "He didn't _grill_ you. He asked you how you'd been in the last four years. And it's not _my_ brother we have to worry about here."

"What happened to not caring what Lucas Scott thinks?" he teased, making her glare at him.

"OK, are you serving a purpose being in here? Because you're kind of in my way, and also, you're bugging me," she stated, with a wooden spoon in her hand as it was perched on her hip.

"You look hot," he mused as he took in her position. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "I'm serious. This whole 'pissed off, spoon wielding' thing is totally working for you."

"Working for me?" she asked with a raised brow. "Or working for _you_?"

"Both," he growled.

"Get out of my kitchen! God, you're impossible," she teased with a laugh.

He just smiled smugly when he saw the blush on her cheeks, happy to have gotten her all flustered. He crossed his arms over his chest, letting her know that he wasn't about to move, and she just rolled her eyes at him and turned back to the stove.

"Oops," he said unapologetically when he dropped a towel 'accidentally' on the floor. "You better grab that."

"Are you 14 years old?" she laughed. "I'm _not_ bending down to get that, you perv."

"But you could slip and fall. It's not safe, babe. I'm just looking out for you," he said, unable to hide his grin. He laughed when she let out a loud sigh, and enjoyed the view when she actually picked up the towel.

"Here!" she said curtly, swatting him as hard as she could with the item before tossing it at his chest when he chuckled.

"Hey!" Lucas said happily as he strode into the kitchen with Lindsey behind him.

"Wow. Don't knock, guys. Really, it's OK," Nathan teased, turning to look at their guests. "What's up?"

"Not much," Lucas answered, bumping fists with his brother as the girls shook their heads at the boyish gesture. "Can't say I mind the last-minute dinner invite."

"Neither can I," Lindsey agreed. "Any night I don't have to cook is just fine with me."

"Well, it's nothing fancy," Peyton warned. "Just spaghetti and meatballs."

"Sounds perfect to me," Lucas said with a smile. "Here. We brought wine."

"Right on," Nathan said, taking the bottle and setting it next to him on the counter.

"Nathan, please! Can you move?" Peyton asked with a laugh.

Nathan sighed dramatically and hopped off the counter, kissing her cheek before grabbing plates to set the table. Peyton reached for wine glasses, and out of the corner of her eye, saw Lindsey's jaw drop and her hand fly to her mouth. Peyton turned her head to look at her friend, knowing from that reaction that she'd caught sight of the ring.

"Um...we have...We have news," Peyton said suddenly, before Lindsey could say anything.

"You're pregnant," Lucas guessed.

"No!" Peyton cried. She wondered why any time anyone said they had news, people automatically assumed pregnancy. It was almost starting to get irritating.

"Not yet," Nathan mumbled, making her attempt a glare that turned into a smile.

"We're...Nathan asked me to marry him," she explained, erasing the confused look off Lucas' face that had stemmed from his brother's comment.

"Congratulations!" Lindsey shouted, though she'd been holding her breath since she saw the diamond on Peyton's hand. She rushed around the counter to hug Nathan, since he was closest, then Peyton.

Lucas was in a stunned silence, much like he'd been upon hearing that the two of them were dating. Lindsey took a timeout from staring at the ring when she noticed he hadn't said a word yet, and when she turned to him and smiled, he smiled back at her.

"Wow," he managed. "That's...big news."

"Dude, you just jumped to the pregnancy conclusion. That's bigger," Nathan said with a laugh.

"Would it be _that_ surprising?" Lucas challenged teasingly. "We all know the family history with that sort of thing."

They all laughed, knowing that he was right, but also because if he could make jokes, he certainly had to be OK with the latest development.

But it stung him, just a little bit. Nothing major or scandalous, but it hit him once again that she'd said no to him, and yes to someone else. He knew, of course, that that was the way it was supposed to be. He suspected everyone could understand his position. At least he hoped so. The last thing he needed was an argument with his wife or a feud with his brother.

"Well congratulations!" he finally said, sincerely. He noticed the other three people in the room seem to let out sighs of relief.

He pulled Nathan into a manly hug, and then moved to Peyton, wrapping her arms around her delicately, like he always used to do when they were friends, and he briefly wondered when the last time was that they actually truly embraced. He honestly couldn't remember.

"I'm so happy for you, Peyt," he said softly into her ear before pulling away.

"Really?" she asked, locking eyes with him.

"Really."

"Thanks, Luke," she said, smiling sweetly as Nathan came over and wrapped his arm around her waist.

They sat down to dinner and Peyton let Nathan retell the story of the proposal. She'd already told it to Brooke and Derek that day, and it was 'his turn', as she pointed out. The entire evening went smoothly, with Lindsey complaining that they should have gotten some Champagne to celebrate. She insisted that they have a proper engagement party, and Nathan told her to talk to Deb, cringing as he did so. He was certain that it was going to be a circus, and that was absolutely the last thing he wanted.

As they settled into bed that night, Peyton was thinking about how smoothly things seemed to have gone. With the exception of Haley, everyone seemed to be thrilled for them, and that made her even more comfortable wearing the ring on her finger.

Nathan apparently had something else on his mind.

"So listen, you and I need to talk," he said seriously.

That tone scared her.

"What?"

"_How_ and _when_ has Brooke seen you in less?" he asked in a low voice, thick with innuendo and unbridled boyish curiosity.

"Hmm...you _really_ don't want to hear about the time she and I went skinny dipping in the ocean," she said with a grin, watching his eyebrows shoot sky high.

"Oh, yes I fucking do," he insisted, making her laugh as he rolled over and pinned her to the bed.

**----**

**A/N:** I just posted another NP oneshot called _Crazier_. It's all NP love (and endgame) set during high school. Check it out!


	29. Chapter 29

The newly engaged couple didn't have to pay for a meal all week. It seemed everyone wanted to take them out to celebrate. Deb, Dan, Brooke and Chase, Lucas and Lindsey. Come Friday evening, they had no groceries in the house that were edible, and they had Jamie for the weekend. Their big outing that Friday night to the grocery store saw them come home with four kinds of cereal and a lot of other snacks they normally didn't buy, but neither Nathan nor Peyton could say no to the little boy.

They tried to have a low key weekend, but it was interrupted in the best way when Nathan led his team to victory at an afternoon game that Saturday, and they were invited to an 'after party' at one of his teammate's houses. It was an outdoor barbecue, and Nathan and Peyton watched as Jamie ran and played with the other kids that were there. Nathan, of course, not-so-subtly reminded her that maybe the next toddler they saw stumbling around on the grass would be theirs. She could only smile and shake her head at him.

Peyton came home from work on Monday in ridiculously good spirits. She'd had an overly productive day and a great lunch with Haley where the two had a candid talk, and she felt like her week might not be so bad. She walked through the house and saw that Nathan was out on the back porch studying his playbook.

"Hey," she greeted him through the open window. He stood from his place and walked inside, and he could tell already that she was in a great mood.

"Hey," he said when he stepped into the kitchen. "Good day?"

"Great day," she corrected. "Ryan's photo shoot went amazing. Like...so good. And Mia has some new songs to record. It was just...a lot of good news."

"That's awesome," he said with a smile.

They'd had a great week, but something had been weighing heavy on Nathan's mind as more time passed. He was a little unnerved that she hadn't looked through a single bridal magazine, or asked him questions on what he preferred or wanted to do. She hadn't really talked about a wedding at all, save for general questions from their family and friends. He knew there wasn't _technically_ a rush, but that didn't mean that he didn't _want_ them to rush. Their entire relationship had been the best kind of whirlwind, and it almost seemed fitting to get married right away.

"So," he said, lifting himself up onto the counter, "where's your head with things?"

"What do you mean?" she asked absently, reaching up on her toes to grab something from the top shelf of a cupboard. He didn't help her, instead choosing to eye the expanse of bare skin revealed when she raised her arm and her shirt rode up. She shot him a playful glare and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"With...wedding, marriage, spending your life with me, having lots of sex and babies," he explained, making her let out a loud laugh.

"Is that all?" she asked sarcastically.

"I think that covers everything, yeah."

"I was actually thinking," she started, leaning back against the counter across from him. "Maybe your whole, 'let's jet off somewhere' idea wasn't so crazy after all."

"Peyton, I was totally joking about that," he said, shaking his head.

"Were you?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Well, not _totally_," he said, smiling when she laughed. "But...What's going on?"

"Nothing!" she said quickly. "I just thought it might actually be nice." She stepped towards him to stand between his knees, and his hands naturally found her waist. "Sunshine, casual clothes, barefoot on a beach somewhere, just you and me and a couple rings..."

"OK, as perfect as that would be..." he said in a low voice. _Damn_, that sounded perfect. "I just...can't see you getting married without your dad and Brooke there. And I want Jamie, and Lucas, and my mom and dad. So quit trying to seduce me with visions of you in a white bikini, and tell me what's got you freaking out."

"OK, first of all," she said with a raised brow and a stern tone, "I would _not_ get married in a white bikini. That's just...no." He rolled his eyes and laughed before she continued. "And I'm not freaking out."

"You're not _not_ freaking out either." He gazed at her knowingly and she rolled her eyes once more. "Talk to me, Sawyer."

"I just...I don't want something big, at all," she said seriously. "But...you've kind of...You've done this before. Twice, actually."

"That's what this is about?" he asked incredulously. "Peyton..."

"I know what you're going to say," she said, waving off whatever he was about to tell her. "I can have whatever I want, and it doesn't matter that you already had a couple weddings."

"Actually, I was going to ask you how I ended up engaged to a woman who's obviously insane," he teased, making her jaw drop. "Do you think it matters to me how we get married?"

"Um...wow," she said with wide eyes.

"No! Fuck. No. I didn't mean that," he said quickly. "I meant...You can have whatever you want and it doesn't matter that I have already had a couple weddings."

"Nice save," she said with a little smile and her head tilted to the side.

"I'm serious, though," he insisted. "I like the idea of something small, but I want our people there, you know?"

"That's what I want, too," she finally admitted, relieved that he had forced her to clear the air.

_That_ was why she was marrying him. He made her tell him things that she should have been telling him anyway, and he soothed her worries, and he told her what she needed to hear. They didn't keep secrets - they couldn't - no matter how hard they each tried. They just knew each other, and they wouldn't let each other hide.

"I'd be totally cool with casual," she continued. "Simple, you know? I don't need tuxedos and a thousand flowers and a puffy dress."

"Thank God," he sighed. "I hate wearing a tux."

"You look sexy in a tux, Nate," she assured him.

"Whatever," he scoffed, though they both knew she was right. "What do you picture me in?"

He smirked at her, and she knew he was just waiting for her to turn that into an innuendo, but she wouldn't do it. This was a serious conversation, and she didn't want them to get...distracted...as they were known to do.

"I don't know," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe just a suit. All black or something."

"All black, huh?" he asked for confirmation, which he got when she nodded her head.

"What about me? What do you see me wearing?"

"Whatever Brooke forces you to," he suggested, making them both chuckle. "I don't know. You could wear anything and be hot as hell."

"Nathan! Girls don't want to be _hot_ on their wedding day!" she cried seriously.

"OK, good luck with _that_," he muttered. "Maybe...maybe something shiny."

"Shiny? Like leather?" she joked.

"Mmm. _Sexy_, but no," he said with a smirk. "Like...silk. Or whatever they make dresses out of. And either long, or short."

"What other options are there!?" she asked as she laughed.

"I mean, like, knee length or something. Or...just below the knee," he said, before getting frustrated. He got down off the counter and pulled her into his arms. "You know what? Don't ask the guy about the dress. I don't know what the hell I'm talking about."

"Aww," she said, cuddling up to him a little bit more. "But it's still cute to hear."

"Well, whatever Brooke designs for you will be amazing," he said, kissing her forehead before moving away from her. "God, do you even remember how to cook?"

"Kind of. But I don't want to," she said with a laugh. "Is it wrong that I just want to order pizza and drink the beer that Skills left here?"

"Not wrong. And kind of sexy," he admitted, wrapping his arms around her from behind as she pulled two bottles from the fridge.

"You just think everything is sexy," she teased, placing her hand over his.

"When it comes to you? Yeah," he confirmed. He grabbed his bottle and used the countertop to knock the cap off, then noticed the horrified look on Peyton's face. "What?"

"Don't do that," she scolded. "These are granite countertops!"

"Granite is strong," he said, shrugging his shoulder.

"Bottle opener," she insisted, glaring at him as she made her way to the living room. "Order pizza!"

"Is this what it's gonna be like when we're married? You bossing me around all the time?" he called after her. He heard her laugh at the words she'd said to him just a week earlier, and dialed the phone as he was told.

She was watching television with her feet propped up on the coffee table, sipping from her beer, when he walked back into the room after ordering their dinner and tidying up.

"Are you watching Gossip Girl?" he asked incredulously, sitting down next to her.

"It's...It was just...on. And...," she stuttered, rolling her eyes when he started chuckling. "OK. Fine. It's a guilty pleasure."

"The guiltiest," he muttered.

"Shut up! Plus, Ed Westwick is totally hot," she pointed out, gesturing to the man on the screen.

"What!?" he cried. "Please."

"No. He is," she insisted. She turned to him and eyed him until he shifted and looked at her questioningly. "You're kind of like Chuck Bass."

"Oh...fu..."

"You are!" she said, cutting him off. "All cocky and smoldering, but a heart of gold."

"Smoldering?" he asked skeptically.

"Definitely smoldering," she purred, leaning over to kiss him.

The doorbell rang and she held out her hand expectantly, waiting for him to give her cash, and he just shook his head and laughed as he pulled out his wallet.

"Seriously, my dad warned me about this kind of thing," he teased, placing a couple bills in her hand.

"You know you love me," she said seductively, making him laugh again as she stood from her place.

He grabbed plates while she paid for their dinner, and when he came back into the room, she was already taking a bite out of a slice.

"I'm so hungry!" she said with a mouthful of food, making him shake his head.

"Where are your manners, girl?" he asked.

It wasn't until an hour later that they stopped goofing around and actually got serious, and even then, it wasn't their choice. They were each on their second beers when they heard the door open, and Nathan could only shrug his shoulders when Peyton looked at him, as if to ask who was there.

"OK, weird thing," Lucas said, stepping into the house and glancing at the couple. His brow was knit in confusion, and both Nathan and Peyton were sure it had been like that the entire drive to their house. That broody, squinting thing he'd always done when he was trying to figure something out was pretty much his trademark expression.

"What?" Peyton asked. She was a little unnerved that he hadn't offered a proper greeting, but she loved that they were all comfortable enough with each other again to just stride into each others' homes like that. It felt natural and...right.

"I got a call from someone who told me to ask you for a reference," he said, still bewildered as he looked to Peyton.

"What?" she repeated, narrowing her eyes. "Who?"

"Julian Baker?"

She felt Nathan tense next to her, but she was too stunned to reassure him of anything. She was too stunned to really say anything. Nathan didn't fail to notice that she was speechless, and he had no idea what that meant.

"He wants to option _Ravens. _For a movie," Lucas added when he saw the discomfort of the couple before him. He didn't know who this guy was to Peyton, but he could tell it wasn't anything good.

"No," Nathan insisted, shaking his head. "Absolutely not."

"Nathan..." Peyton tried.

"No!" he cried indignantly. "No way in hell."

"_What_ is going on!?" Lucas asked, throwing his arms up in frustration.

"Julian is a guy..." Nathan started.

"Nathan!" Peyton shouted, interrupting him and glaring at him at the same time. "Just..._don't_ be irrational." He sighed deeply and unclenched his fists, and Peyton turned back to Lucas. "Julian...Julian is someone I dated in L.A."

"Someone she _lived_ with and was_ in love with_ for a year and a half," Nathan clarified quickly, shooting her a look over her neglect to give details.

"Oh," Lucas said slowly, squinting as he tried to comprehend that information.

"It's...he's a _good_ producer," Peyton insisted objectively.

"I'm sure he is, but he's not coming anywhere near my novel," Lucas insisted seriously, crossing his arms and looking at her as though she were crazy for implying that he should work with this Julian person.

"Damn right, he's not," Nathan muttered, making Peyton turn to him and scowl again.

"You two are impossible," she said with a humorless laugh, standing from her place as she shook her head. "Lucas, this could be a good opportunity for you."

"And you are marrying my brother, and I'm not going to let some Hollywood jackass with ulterior motives come here and mess that up!" Lucas explained, making Nathan smile in both brotherly pride, and smug satisfaction.

"Please! He couldn't if he tried," she scoffed.

Both Scott brothers watched her face change as she stopped to contemplate if Julian really _would_ try. She knew he would. She _knew_ he'd try.

"Well...too bad," Lucas said firmly. "He's not going to get the chance."

"Ha," Nathan mumbled stupidly, and Peyton glared at him once again.

"You're an idiot," Peyton said, looking to Lucas. "Do you have _any_ idea how much money you could make? There are signing bonuses and production bonuses. And that's before the thing is even released!"

"I don't care! I _have_ a job, Peyton, and a writing career. I don't need an....an egoistical guy with some infatuation with you to write me a check, alright?"

She was biting her tongue to stop herself from mentioning his admitted infatuation with her when they were younger. It wasn't the time or place, and it didn't really matter, and it only would have hurt all three people in the room to bring it up.

"Did he ask about her?" Nathan inquired, standing from his place and folding his arms at his chest. It was his protective stance, and Peyton knew that, and normally she would have loved it, but it only served to infuriate her more in that moment.

"Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

"He asked how she was," Lucas stepped in. "He asked if we were together, and I told him I'm married."

"So he thinks she's single!" Nathan stated irately.

"Calm down," she warned sternly. She turned so she was standing directly in front of him with her back to Lucas, and she took his hand in hers. "Stop. OK? He doesn't _matter_."

"I don't trust him!"

"You don't have to! _I _don't really trust him. Not anymore," she explained.

"But you want him to come here and..."

"No, but I don't want Lucas to miss out on this opportunity," she said gently.

"And I don't want to meet the guy who shared a bed with you," Nathan said seriously, raising an eyebrow.

Lucas couldn't help himself, and let out a snicker, making Nathan crack a smile, and Peyton turn to look at him admonishingly.

"What?" he asked, deadpan. "Oh, come on. _That's_ funny."

Nathan and Lucas both started to laugh, and Peyton looked at them both, her mouth open in shock, before she joined in and started laughing, too.

"Stop it!" she cried, swatting Nathan on the arm, though their smiles stayed in place.

"How is this our life?" he asked with a chuckle, making them all laugh harder. "Luke, you need to write a sequel."

"Shut up!" Peyton shouted again.

"Like the E! True Hollywood Story of Tree Hill," Lucas chimed in.

"No one would believe it," Nathan said, shaking his head.

"You're impossible," Peyton said in frustration when she realized that they weren't going to listen to her. "I'm....going out."

Lucas and Nathan exchanged a look, realizing that perhaps they'd taken it too far. They both knew damn well that Peyton would indeed walk out if she wanted to, and neither man wanted to be responsible for that.

"Peyton," Lucas said apologetically.

"Babe, don't run out on me," Nathan pleaded, shaking his head as he smirked.

That fucking smirk. She was cursing it in her head, and he could tell just by looking at her. But that smirk, coupled with just that little bit of a southern drawl that had crept into his speech were really making her want to push Lucas out the door.

So she gave Nathan a seductive smirk of her own, and bit her bottom lip just subtly since she knew Lucas couldn't see. Nathan took a deep breath, and she winked at him.

"Luke, you need to go, man," Nathan said seriously, still looking at his girl.

"Nathan!" she cried with a laugh.

"No. I'm serious. Go home. We'll...I'll...I'll call you tomorrow," Nathan said quickly.

"I'm _so_ out of here," Lucas said, grinning as he shook his head. Peyton offered him a timid smile before he started towards the door. "I'll lock it."

"Thanks," Nathan said absently, making his way towards Peyton.

Lucas heard Peyton giggle through the door as he made his way down the steps off the front porch of the house, and he could only shake his head again. Those two were just so obviously inseparable, and he didn't mind getting kicked out of their house. He got the feeling that Nathan would have made Peyton laugh like that even if he had been standing right there. He couldn't say he was anything less than thrilled for them.

"That was so rude!" Peyton said as Nathan pulled her roughly against him.

"Rude? You're the one getting all irresistible when we have company," he countered, making her turn her head away from him. "You just...can't do that."

"You _could_ try to control yourself," she suggested, placing one hand on his chest, and the other around his neck.

He just let out a quick breath and shook his head. She still didn't get it.

"You have no idea what you do to me."

But she did. Because he did it to her, too. So she leaned up and let her lips graze the shell of his ear as she spoke, and she felt his hands grip her waist a little tighter.

"Show me."

----

"What if he did come here?" Nathan asked later that night as they stood on the balcony off their bedroom wrapped in a blanket.

"Who?"

"Julian," he specified. He didn't know if she had already forgotten about the guy, or if she just wanted to make him think she had.

"What if he did?" she countered. She knew he hated it when people answered a question with a question, but it was as much of an answer as she thought she needed to give.

"Peyton."

"What do you want me to say, Nathan?" she asked, turning in his arms so she could face him. "He could show up here with whatever motives he wanted to, but it wouldn't change anything between us."

"I guess," he mumbled.

"Not_ I guess,_" she insisted. "You're the one who is always telling me not to doubt us, Nathan. And now there's a ring on my finger, and you're implying that..."

"Hey," he said indignantly, "I'm not implying anything."

"Aren't you?" she asked quietly.

Her eyes wouldn't meet his, and he kind of hated himself for giving her the impression that he thought Julian would change their relationship somehow. He was secure with her. For the most part. But he didn't know this guy, and he didn't know how manipulative he was, or how hurt he'd been by his breakup with Peyton.

"Well, I didn't mean to," he told her. "I just...don't want any drama, you know? And this guy coming here would for sure mean drama."

"He could try," she muttered. "I don't want drama either. And I think Lucas was pretty adamant about not doing it, so...whatever."

"Whatever?"

"I still think he's stupid for not even entertaining the idea," she explained. "There are like...hundreds of thousands of dollars for this kind of thing. And if he wrote the screenplay, it'd be even more."

"He's just got my back," Nathan said with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders.

"I kind of love that about him," she said before she could stop herself. Her eyes flew up to meet his, and she winced as he laughed. "You know? Are there any of my other exes we _haven't_ talked about today?"

"Jake," he stated.

"Stop!" she cried, swatting his chest.

"Oh, come on. We're good, here, right? We can joke," he pointed out, making her sigh.

"Apparently, we can," she said with a smile.

"And I mean, really, you're not gonna leave all this," he said, gesturing towards his body as he smirked.

"Was there ever any doubt?" she asked coyly.

"Maybe a little," he admitted. "But then I got you into my bed pretty quickly and all doubt was erased."

"You're a pig, you know that?"

"A pig that you love," he corrected. He leaned down to kiss her, and he felt her smile against his lips. He knew that for all the times she 'complained' about his attitude and innuendo, she actually loved it.

"Well, I was going to prove it to you again," she said softly, running her hand down his chest. "But if you're convinced..."

"Well, hey. I'm not _entirely_ convinced," he said eagerly, cutting her off as he walked her backwards into their room.

"Really?" she asked as she dropped the blanket from around her shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her waist to lay her down.

"Uh huh," he mumbled, placing kisses along the column of her neck. "Show me."

**----**

**A/N:** OK, since I like to give fair warning, the next chapter will be the last one...


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: **OK, here it is. The final chapter. I really hope you enjoy it. You guys have been amazing! Your reviews and interest in this have totally blown me away.

I know a lot of you didn't want to see this end, but I just felt it was time. That said, I started kind of toying around with a new idea for an NP fic. I've just barely started writing it, so I have no idea when it'll be posted, but be on the lookout for it! It'll, I'm 99.99% sure, be called _Trouble and Temper_ (fitting for these two, no?). I can't stop writing these two now!

**----**

It was almost a month after getting engaged that Peyton finally sat down and started really planning things. Even then, it was only because Brooke's constant questioning on the details were getting annoying, and when she realized that Peyton never had any more information, she started not-so-subtly emailing links to flower arrangements and attachments that were dress designs the brunette had come up with.

They had already bought their rings, knowing which one matched her engagement ring. Nathan had, smartly, bought both at the same time, and when they went to pick up the wedding band, they chose a ring for him. They'd put in for their marriage license, so that was already taken care of.

All that was left was...well...everything else.

The more Peyton started thinking about the plans, the more they consumed her every thought. Where would they do it? Who would they invite? Where would they hold the reception? What time? What date? What would she wear? What would everyone else wear? Where would they register for gifts? Did they need gifts? She literally almost started crying every time she thought of something more she hadn't done yet.

The business woman in her decided to sit down and make a list of priorities, and they'd go through them one by one. Yes. That would be easiest.

First things first, they needed to find a location, then set the date. Peyton sat at the table in the kitchen with her lists and her laptop. Soon, the table was half covered with pages with her messy writing and notes, but she felt good getting things down. Getting things _done_. Hopefully.

"What do you think about a restaurant?" Peyton asked as Nathan entered the kitchen after a run.

"Um...what kind of question is that?" he inquired, trying to catch his breath.

He grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge before sitting across from her at the table. She had her laptop in front of her, and a bunch of papers scattered around. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"For the wedding!" she clarified after rolling her eyes. "Just...we could like, rent a space and do the whole thing there, you know? Then we wouldn't have to move between venues, or..."

"Sounds great," he said, cutting her off.

"Yeah? Because...I mean, I don't need a church, but if you wanted to do it there," she started, before seeing the smirk on his lips as he crossed his arms. "What?"

"Look at you, all girly," he said teasingly.

"It's not girly! Weddings don't plan themselves," she pointed out with a raised brow.

Even as she was speaking, she realized it was a little girly. And she kind of liked it.

"I know," he said with a nod. "But you look so cute getting all excited."

"Whatever," she scoffed, waving her hand in the air and turning back to her computer screen.

He watched as she typed away and clicked through whatever she was looking at. She really did look adorable, and he knew that no matter how much she wanted to downplay her excitement, she really was enjoying planning and looking for locations and talking about flowers and dresses with the girls.

"What kind of restaurant?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I don't know. Something cool with a good...mood," she said, shrugging her shoulders with her eyes still fixed on the screen.

"Mood?"

"You know, cool decor, good menu," she explained, looking up at him. "Anything come to mind?"

"I like exposed bricks," he said pensively. She could only laugh at his response, because it wasn't really much of one. "What?"

"I was kind of hoping for a name, babe," she pointed out, tilting her head to the side as she grinned at him.

"I'm thinking!" he said indignantly.

"Why don't you think about it in the shower?" she suggested, eyeing his sweaty physique.

It had recently gotten hot enough outside for him to run without his shirt on, and he was taking full advantage of that. She didn't know if he was _trying_ to torture her, but he certainly was. She watched a bead of sweat move down his chest, and he saw that look of...appreciation...in her eyes.

He loved that look.

"I'll probably just think about you," he said as he stood from his place and leaned across the table to kiss her.

"You are so cheesy sometimes!" she yelled after him as he jogged towards the stairs.

"You love it!"

She really couldn't argue with that at all.

It wasn't until she heard the water start that she actually started focusing again. She knew damn well that he fully expected her to sneak into the shower with him, but she wouldn't. She'd been procrastinating enough, and as it was, she wasn't sure they'd be able to book anything during the timeframe they wanted. She wasn't about to waste any more time.

But then, when he came back downstairs, he told her that he needed to go shopping and wanted her advice, and with him basically telling her he'd let her pick out whatever she wanted for him - within reason - she quickly abandoned what she'd been working on.

----

They were at the River Court one evening. Nathan had gotten restless sitting in the house, and he'd asked Peyton if she wanted to take a walk. Of course, when he grabbed his basketball, she knew exactly where they were going. It wasn't a short walk, but they felt like teenagers again. She was in her converse sneakers and a simple hoodie, and he was in jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt. They were walking hand in hand as his free one bounced the ball down the sidewalk.

By the time they got to the old court it was dark out, but he flipped on the lights and Peyton watched as he tossed the ball effortlessly, both of them smiling each time it fell through the chains, making that sound both of them had heard so many times over the years.

"Hey, so I was thinking," he started as he shot a lazy free throw, "maybe Jamie can be my best man."

She looked at him and tilted her head as she smiled. That was just the sweetest thing she'd ever heard.

"What?" he asked.

"That's just...so perfect," she assured him. "I love that idea. I mean, as long as Lucas won't feel left out or something."

"Whatever," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "We're only having a best man and a maid of honour, right? No one will ask questions if I pick my son over anyone else."

He raised a good point. She'd just assumed that he'd choose Lucas as his best man. She wouldn't necessarily have been uncomfortable if that had been the case, but she had to admit, she felt a little relieved knowing it'd be Jamie standing there and not Lucas. Something about her ex-boyfriend being her fiancée's best man, and him having to walk down the aisle with her best friend and his other ex-girlfriend...It was all just a little bit too much.

Plus, Brooke and Jamie would look adorable together, walking hand in hand down the aisle.

"I love it," she said softly.

"Good." He shot the ball again, cursing under his breath when he missed. "I'll talk to him. And Lucas."

"I'll talk to Brooke," she said with a smile, knowing that everyone was already aware that Brooke would be Peyton's maid of honour, but she still wanted to make it official.

The next day, they had both Jamie and Brooke over to talk things over, and it was no surprise, after Nathan explained the role of the best man, that Jamie asked once again if he had to wear a tux. Peyton assured him that he didn't, and that all he had to do was hold onto the rings. Brooke squealed excitedly like it was some kind of secret that she'd stand up for Peyton, and Nathan just laughed at the both of them. Every time they talked about the wedding, even a little bit, Brooke's excitement would rub off on Peyton, and the two of them would chatter incessantly about it. He kind of loved that, though.

He left the two girls to it and he and Jamie went to play video games. He could still hear Peyton and Brooke in the kitchen as they made lunch and talked about colours for Brooke's dress.

----

"I think I found it," Nathan announced with a proud smirk upon entering her office.

She was buried in paperwork, piled up to her shoulders as she sat at her desk. Rebecca had taken a few days off to visit relatives out of state, and Peyton hadn't realized just how much she'd come to rely on her assistant until she wasn't there anymore. She was managing to sift through the work, but it was the little things like ordering office supplies and answering the phones that were interrupting her regular workflow. She reminded herself to take Rebecca for lunch when she came back into town as a thank you for the amount of work she did, and the level of perfection to which she did it.

"Hmm?" she said absently as she typed an email to a photographer in New York who had taken some live shots of one of her artists to use in promotional pieces.

"For the wedding. I found the place," he repeated. "Come on. They agreed to meet with us at 2:00."

It was nearly two weeks after she had initially asked him what he thought about locations, and he'd secretly gone to a few of the nicer places in town, hoping to find some venues for them to consider and take that worry off her plate. She had enough to do as it was, and as much as Lucas had made fun of him for blowing off playing ball at the River Court to scout places for the wedding, he knew Peyton would appreciate his effort.

"Nathan, I'm..."

"Busy. I know," he said before taking her hand in his and pulling her away from her computer. "Just think of this as one less thing you'll have to stress about. It'll take an hour, tops."

He watched as she let out a heavy sigh and closed her eyes slowly. He knew how she got when she was working, and she hated to be interrupted, but they both knew that finding a location for their little wedding had been plaguing them both for weeks. They both just wanted it to be checked off the list so they could move on with the plans.

"_One hour_," she warned sternly. "Then I have to get back here."

"I promise," he said before kissing her quickly and following her to the door.

She had forgotten completely about the five star Italian restaurant at Wrightsville Beach, though she really shouldn't have. It was the place Nathan had taken her for their one month anniversary when they were in high school, and she had to laugh at how important one month of dating had seemed to her younger self. If she'd only known then that she'd be scouting wedding locations with that same boy years later, she may have made mental notes of more of the details of that night.

He'd showed up with no flowers, but had given her a simple silver necklace - one that neither of them knew where it had ended up. She'd given it back to him after their breakup, and he had no idea where he'd put it. Maybe he'd actually thrown it out in his teenaged arrogance, thinking that it was worthless. He couldn't have known the value it would hold, and Peyton didn't fault him for getting rid of the thing.

Now years later, when they stepped out of the car, Peyton rushed towards Nathan, throwing her arms around him. She was blown away that not only had he remembered the first time they'd gone there, but that he had found a place so obviously perfect for them.

"Yes," she said softly into his neck, with his arms wrapped around her.

"You haven't seen the inside yet," he pointed out with a chuckle.

"Doesn't matter," she said, pulling away from him and smiling. "I remember."

"I thought you might. Come on," he said, placing his hand on the small of her back.

Not that she'd really needed any more convincing, he realized, but the way she smiled over at him when they stepped through the doors was confirmation that they'd found the perfect space. Well, _he'd_ found the perfect space, as she was sure he'd never let her forget.

The interior had a wrought iron spiral staircase leading to an upstairs dining area for private parties, and though they'd hope they could rent the entire space, she loved the look of that staircase. There were a few fireplaces throughout the restaurant that, in the summer, they were told could be filled with candles. The table tops were dark wood, the lighting was soft, and the brass-railed bar was stocked with perfectly organized bottles of wine. There was a wide patio that hung out over the ocean when the tide was in, and she could already picture their family and friends standing there and watching the two of them get married.

Nathan asked all the right questions, and somehow, that made her fall in love with him a little more. She looked at the art on the walls and the wine selection as he talked prices and capacity and menu. She had a vision in her head already of where everyone would sit and how everything would go. The owner assured them that he was flexible on dates, as long as he knew enough time in advance. Peyton pulled out her iPhone and checked her calendar, and they set a date then and there.

It was after Nathan's season was over, and after Mia's tour was over. School would be out and the weather would be perfect. Everyone would be around; Peyton had checked with her father and her brother, and with all their friends, and the beginning of July was perfect.

It took them a little over the hour that Peyton had been so insistent on being away from the office, but by the end of the meeting, they had a rough menu, ideas for simple decorations, a deposit put down, and wines chosen. They told the owner, Pino, about their little date there, years ago, and he smiled at them and the sentiment his restaurant held for them. He told them he loved that he could help them have the perfect day, and that he'd do everything he could to make sure it went smoothly.

Nathan and Peyton both breathed sighs of relief once they were in the car again, and she took his hand in his before he started the car.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"You don't have to thank me," he insisted, shrugging his shoulders. "One thing to check off the list."

"Maybe I should just give you everything to do," she said with a laugh. "You seem to be doing pretty well with the wedding planning thing."

"Let's not get carried away," he said, shaking his head as he turned the key and put the car in drive. "All that girly stuff is still all on you. Flowers and seating charts and stuff."

"I think carnations," she mused. "For the flowers."

"Carnations? Aren't those kind of simple?"

"Exactly. But they come in all sorts of colours. I think it'd be cool to not even have a set colour scheme, and just get a bunch of them to put on tables and stuff," she said, making it sound like the simplest thing in the world. He kind of loved that.

"Carnations it is," he said with a nod.

"Really?"

"What my girl wants, my girl gets," he said, smirking at her when she rolled her eyes.

They both knew he wasn't joking, and she didn't think he was lame.

----

Peyton stepped into Brooke's house with a few pages in her hands. She was worried about showing her designer friend photos of someone else's dresses that she had found and liked, knowing Brooke would want to design something completely original. Peyton just knew that Brooke had the tendency to get a little bit carried away, and she wanted to make sure that her best friend knew exactly what she had in mind.

"Hey!" Brooke said from her place on the sofa.

"Hi," Peyton said, sitting down next to the brunette.

"What's this? Ideas?" Brooke asked nonchalantly. Clearly she wasn't insulted that Peyton had brought a few samples.

"Something like that, yeah," Peyton explained. "Just a few things I liked."

"This length?" Brooke asked after taking a few moments to look at the dresses on the pages.

"Is that bad?" Peyton asked skeptically.

"No! No, it's actually great. Show off those legs," Brooke said with a kinked brow. "I really like this one."

"Yeah," Peyton said with a smile. Brooke was holding the exact dress Peyton had fallen in love with. Save for a few simple changes, it was exactly what she wanted. "I love that one, too."

"I'd take up the hem a couple inches. Maybe just above the knee," Brooke pointed out, using the tone she always used when speaking of design work. "And maybe change up the neckline just a little bit. This bow is too big for your frame, but that's easy enough to change. And you want ivory?"

Peyton was impressed. She hadn't thought of any of those things. Not really. But certainly when Brooke pointed them out, they were noticeable. The bow _was_ too big. And no, she didn't want ivory.

"I was thinking white," Peyton explained.

"Yes. Pure. Classic," Brooke mused. "Not that you're really either of those things, but who's counting."

Peyton shoved her best friend playfully as they both laughed, and Brooke got up and pinned the design to the bulletin board on the easel in her living room. She'd been waiting for something to work on, and this was just perfect. Now that she knew the style of dress Peyton wanted, she could get started on not only the design for it, but for her own dress as well.

"Come on. Let's go look at fabrics. I'm thinking Thai silk. It has a really cool sheen to it, but it's not like...blinding," Brooke explained, grabbing her keys and walking towards the door.

The two of them spent the rest of the day strolling through the fabric store, looking for the perfect one for the dress. They found it after about an hour of searching through bolts, with Brooke buying not only the material for Peyton's dress, but also a dozen other fabrics for things she swore she could already envision, but hadn't sketched yet.

Brooke came to Peyton a few days later with a finished sketch that was perfect in every way. She'd changed the things she had said needed changing, and added a few little details that Peyton hadn't even thought of. It was perfect.

When, three weeks later, Brooke showed Peyton the finished product, both girls teared up. Even more so when Peyton slipped the dress on for the first time.

She was really getting married, and Brooke was really going to be her maid of honour, and she had the most beautiful dress for when it all happened.

----

Nathan was going away for a few road games, and as he stood in their bedroom, tossing things into his bag, Peyton watched him from the doorway. She always hated this part. He was leaving for a week, and while a week wasn't really that long, she still hated having to say goodbye. He'd assure her that he'd see her soon, and he'd kiss her before he drove away, but that didn't really make it any easier. His team, unfortunately, missed the playoffs, so this trip was his last of the season, and then he'd be home for 5 months before his next season started.

"Why do you always look so hot right before I have to leave you?" he asked, looking her up and down.

She was wearing a new pair of jeans he insisted he loved, and just a black camisole. The weather was warm, and the house was warm. She wouldn't let him turn on the A/C yet, choosing instead to open all the doors and windows and let the salty ocean breeze regulate the temperature of their home.

"It's all an illusion," she said, stepping into the room and laying down on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbow as she laid on her side, and he lifted his bag off the bed and dropped it on the floor.

"Not an illusion," he said as he lay down next to her. "I hate this part."

"Me too," she said, moving closer to him and pushing him onto his back before climbing onto him so she was straddling him.

"This doesn't make it easier," he warned her, letting his hands fall to her thighs.

"I _could_ point out all the reasons that's not true," she said seductively, making him take a deep breath and shake his head at her. "But I don't want you to miss your bus."

"You always have to remind me what I'm leaving, don't you?"

"No," she said, shaking her head in the negative. "I just like to remind you of what you get to come home to."

He smiled up at her before she leaned down to kiss him, and he held her against him for a few moments instead of letting her go.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I know," she said, making him chuckle. "I love you."

"Three weeks till we make it official," he said with a smile as she rolled off him and he got up to pack the last of his things. "You excited?"

They'd finalized all their plans, and save for a few last minute things that couldn't be done ahead of time, there was nothing left to do but wait. Hers and Brooke's dresses were finished, Nathan and Jamie had suits, invitations had been sent and RSVPs were completed. They'd booked their honeymoon - Mexico, as they'd joked about in the beginning - and they were set to take off the morning after the wedding. Everyone seemed surprised that Peyton had pulled everything together so quickly, but she just shrugged her shoulders and told them it really wasn't that much work. Of course, they all knew that was a lie, but they wouldn't point that out.

"I am excited," she said, nodding her head. "I can't wait."

"For the wedding? Or to be my wife?" he asked with a smirk.

"Both," she said, getting up on her knees in front of him on the bed and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'll never get packed if you keep pressing up against me like this," he said, his voice low as he gripped her hips. She just shrugged her shoulder coyly as she looked at him. "Seriously. I need to get ready here, and you're making it really...difficult."

"Good word choice," she teased.

She kissed him quickly and set her feet on the ground, walking out of the room before he could ask where she was going.

She was sipping iced tea from a frosted glass on the front porch steps when he walked outside to leave, and he sat down next to her, knowing that the bus would wait if he took a few minutes to sit with his fiancé before saying goodbye. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him as they watched a young couple with two toddlers walking down the street. They didn't know the people, but they waved anyway, and the couple waved back.

"That'll be us soon," he said softly, running his hand up and down her arm.

"Yes, honey. I get it. You want a kid," Peyton said jokingly.

"I want _our_ kid," he clarified, kissing her temple. "Our kid is going to be awesome."

"You think so, huh?"

"He will be! Or she," he said when she pulled away to look at him. She couldn't hide her smile. "Our kid will be all confident and badass. If it's a girl, she'll be just like you."

"Lucky girl," Peyton said, making him laugh. "You're going to make her a total daddy's girl, aren't you?"

"Damn right I am," he said proudly. His phone rang, and it was his teammate who he was picking up on the way to Wilmington, reminding him that he had to go. "I have to..."

"I know," she said, leaning over to kiss him. "Go win your games. Be careful. I love you."

"I love you," he said, kissing her again before standing. "See you in a week."

"One week," she repeated.

She waved at him as he pulled away from the curb before stepping back into their now emptier house. She liked her alone time, but she liked her time with Nathan better, and maybe, she thought, that was the most obvious sign of how much she'd grown in the last year or so. She used to crave being alone. She still did, to a degree. She liked to have an hour to herself in her office to listen to music, but she also liked hearing Nathan and Lucas laugh and talk downstairs, or to hear Jamie and his dad playing video games. When she was alone in the house, there was just silence.

She definitely liked that it wouldn't be silent for long.

----

Peyton stood in her old bedroom at Brooke's house with her best friend and her father standing behind her, seeing her as a bride for the first time. Her father, she could tell, was already fighting back tears, and Brooke wasn't even trying.

Peyton was just _happy_.

She couldn't stop smiling, and the night before, sleeping away from Nathan after a night with the girls - Brooke, Haley, Lindsey, Karen and Deb - she never felt so far away, but so close to him, ever before.

It hadn't been a bachelorette party. The six women just sat in Brooke's living room with some wine and told stories and talked. She knew that Nathan was doing a similar thing at their house with Jamie, Lucas, Skills, Chase, Derek, Larry, Andy and Dan. Yes, Lucas agreed to set aside his ill feelings toward his 'father' for the event, and according to the short call she'd put in to Nathan that morning, Dan and Lucas had gotten along just fine after the initial discomfort.

And now, she stood in front of a full length mirror in her wedding dress, holding the hands of her father and her best friend. Her hair was down and falling over her shoulders naturally. Her makeup was done flawlessly by Brooke, and she had on a pair of blue strappy heels that matched the colour of Brooke's dress. Brooke had made Jamie a tie and pocket square out of the same material.

The dress was everything she wanted to be, though she had known that already. It was strapless, cut to the knee, with covered buttons up the bodice at the back and a tasteful bow near the neckline on the left side. It was different, but still traditional, and it fit her like a custom gown should.

"You ready for this?" she asked the two people at her side.

"Honey, we're supposed to ask you that," Brooke said with a laugh as Larry shook his head.

"I'm ready," Peyton assured them. "I've _been_ ready. Nathan and I actually talked about eloping in Mexico right after we got engaged."

"What is with you two and Mexico?" Brooke laughed as she gathered the things they'd need at the ceremony and reception. "I'll give you guys a minute."

Larry shot Brooke a wink as a thank you before turning back to his daughter.

"You look beautiful," he said, smiling as he looked at her.

"Thanks, dad," she said softly.

"I wish your mom was here," he admitted. She had known he was going to say it, but she still had to quell the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Me too," she whispered. She held up her right hand to show him the ring she was wearing on her middle finger. It was one he'd given Anna when they first started dating. A simple ruby in a gold setting. He smiled and took her hand in his when he saw it. "It's my something old."

"It's not _that_ old," he pointed out with a chuckle. "Something new?"

"Necklace Nathan bought me last week," she said, fingering the thin chain and simple diamond pendant as it sat on her neck. He came home with it, calling it a wedding gift, which she'd assured him she didn't need,. He had insisted, and she hadn't taken it off since.

"Something borrowed?" he asked.

"Earrings from Deb."

"And the shoes are something blue," he said, looking to her feet. "Looks like you're all set. Are you sure he's the one?"

"Dad!" she cried with a laugh as he smiled.

"Come on, then," he said, chuckling and pulling the door open. "Let's get you married."

----

It was a beautiful day. The weather was perfect, and the ceremony went off without incident. No one but Brooke and Larry knew what Peyton's dress looked like - it was Tree Hill's best kept secret - and so when she walked down the 'aisle', all their guests took breaths and smiled and oo-ed and ah-ed. They'd later tell her it was perfect.

They all smiled and wondered what Nathan said when he whispered into Peyton's ear after Larry 'gave' her away. They all saw Peyton blush and stifle a laugh, but she knew that no one would believe her if she told them that Nathan had told her she looked hot. They both remembered that early conversation, with her saying that no woman wants to look hot on her wedding day. But when he said the words, she had to admit that she loved it.

All the women cried, Peyton included. Peyton heard Brooke sniffle behind her a couple times, and when Jamie pulled out his pocket square partway through the ceremony and walked past his father and almost-step-mom to hand it to his Godmother, everyone laughed. There was that Scott boy hero complex on display.

Simple vows were said, and rings were exchanged, and after the short ceremony, Peyton and Nathan snuck a few moments alone while everyone settled into their seats in the restaurant.

"You look so amazing," Nathan said during a brief break from kissing his new wife.

"So do you," she said softly, eyeing him again. He looked perfect in his suit - black on black with a white tie, just as they'd talked about when they'd first gotten engaged. "I love you so much, Nathan."

He smiled at her and kissed her again before saying the same words back to her.

They were announced as husband and wife, and they held hands as they walked through the room towards their table. Their little gathering of people clapped for them again, and Brooke was still crying with Chase on one side and Jamie on the other. Nathan laughed and wished Chase good luck, and when Peyton started tearing up again and pulled Brooke into a hug, Chase said the same thing to Nathan.

There were a lot of toasts - it seemed almost everyone in the room had something to say - and the wine and Champagne flowed freely. It was a relaxed, laid back celebration, just as Peyton and Nathan had wanted it.

They danced their first dance together to Try A Little Tenderness, and only the two of them knew why. Everyone asked, but they wouldn't tell the reason. The newlyweds laughed as Brooke and Jamie took to the floor next to them, with Chase smiling at his girlfriend from his seat.

Peyton danced with every man in attendance, laughing with her father, and making jokes with Chase and Derek, and spinning around with her step-son. Nathan stood by the bar with a scotch in his hand as he watched his wife dance with his brother, smiling at even the idea that the two of them could be so close without all the tension.

After dinner, Peyton and Nathan scanned the room. She was standing behind him with her hands on his shoulders as they watched Brooke laugh heartily at something Chase said. Andy, Karen and Deb were talking in one corner, while Larry and Dan talked in another. Lucas and Lindsey were entertaining Jamie and Lily while Haley talked to Derek. Peyton could see that there was perhaps a little spark between her brother and one of her closest friends, and when she pointed it out to Nathan, he could only shake his head. He could tell right away that Haley was flirting with Derek, but he couldn't find it in him to really be affected at all by that knowledge. The truth was, she could do a lot worse.

"Best wedding ever," Peyton mused, leaning down and wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Totally," Nathan agreed. "Look at everyone."

"Look at us," she said softly, kissing the hinge of his jaw as his thumb moved over the two rings that now sat on her left hand.

"I almost can't believe we're married," he admitted. "I mean, I can, because I'm so insanely in love with you, but...You're my wife."

She kissed him again and knew that moment was perfect.

"Good timing, too," she said into his ear, making him turn around and look at her questioningly.

"You're pregnant," he stated with a smile. He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but still somehow the best kept secret.

He knew it was true by what she'd just said and how she was looking at him, and when he saw her smile and nod, he thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

"Surprise...?" she said, raising her shoulders adorably.

He stood from his chair and gathered her into his arms, and neither of them cared if anyone questioned the sudden embrace. They assumed no one would, given what event they were gathered for. He murmured semi-coherent things into her hair as his hand cradled the back of her neck, and he felt her let out a breath that was probably relief.

"Wait, what have you been drinking all night?" he asked worriedly as he pulled away and studied her face.

"Ginger ale," she assured him. "Pino and I had a little chat."

"Sneaky, Sawyer," he said before kissing her and pulling her closer again. "A baby."

"Yes, honey. A baby," she confirmed. "Our baby."

"You know how much I love you?" he asked, smirking as she toyed with the material of his tie.

"It better be a lot," she said with a raised eyebrow. He just laughed and leaned down to press his lips to hers. He vaguely heard Brooke shout across the room about smudging Peyton's lip gloss, but he didn't care, and he suspected Brooke really didn't either.

"You have no idea," he whispered into her hair.

"I might," she said with a smile. "But if you really love me, you'll get me and your baby another piece of cake."

"I'm on it," he laughed, moving to step away from her. His heart raced a little more when she said _'your baby'_. He really didn't want to be away from her. He wanted to talk to her about the baby and how long she'd known and how she was feeling. So he was thankful when she reached for his wrist to keep him from walking away.

"Don't call me Sawyer anymore," she said, smiling when he laughed. That certainly didn't match the conversation they'd had months ago about what he could call her once they were married.

"How does Mrs. Scott sound?" he asked with a smirk.

"Perfect."

He just smiled and nodded.

He thought so, too.

_**-Fin-**_


End file.
